Chapter 21 Grandma Of course, Fang Wei only needs to ensure that the general direction of the choice is not wrong. The specific details of mussel farming still have to be left to experienced old islanders like his father. There is no need to rush this matter, including various preparations and investments in the early stage. Mussel farming is also seasonal. It will be considered a success if the first batch of mussel seedlings can be put into the sea before April or May next year. Don't underestimate the benefits that aquaculture can bring. Now is the bonus period. As long as the snowball can roll quickly, the prospects will be very broad whether it is expanding the scale of breeding or opening up the upstream and downstream industrial chains such as breeding, harvesting, processing and sales. Maybe my dad hasn’t thought that far yet, but as long as he makes sure he’s heading in the right direction, the wind of the times will always drive him forward. In the evening, there was no cooking at home, and the whole family went back to the old house to eat with grandparents. Because Fang Wei and Fang Yuansheng were going to start junior high school tomorrow, grandma specially killed a chicken for her two grandchildren to eat. Before the meal started, the two brothers were the first to get a big chicken leg each from the kitchen and started to chew on it happily. There were no disposable gloves or anything, so I just washed my hands and took the food directly. After eating the chicken leg, my hands and mouth were greasy, but I felt very satisfied and warm. "Da Huang! Go on!" "Wang!"
The big yellow dog tied at the gate of the yard also enjoyed the good times with the two brothers. When two chicken leg bones were placed in front of it, its tail swung like a helicopter propeller, almost making it fly. The old house where my grandparents lived had limited conditions. After my dad and uncle got married, they separated and lived on their own. However, the whole family also lived in Donghua Village, so it was only a few steps away to go back and forth. My grandparents are over 70 years old and still in good health. They don’t need any care from their descendants. Instead, they grow a lot of vegetables, raise chickens and ducks, and call the whole family back to have meals together from time to time. After dinner, Dad, Grandpa and Uncle gathered together to drink tea and smoke, and talked about the recent mussel farming. Mom and aunt cleaned up the kitchen, and Fang Wei and A Sheng had nothing to do, so they sat and watched TV. "Awei, Asheng, come here." Grandma called out from the door. "Oh!" The two grandchildren immediately stood up and came over obediently. When you walk into your grandparents' room, there is a distinct smell of medicinal wine in the air. Many elderly people's rooms have this smell. They are all caused by illnesses left over from overwork when they were young, such as back pain, knee pain, etc. When they feel pain, they apply medicinal wine. Over time, this smell will linger in the room and will never go away. "Grandma, is your knee hurting again recently?" Fang Wei asked with concern. "It's okay, it's an old problem. The medicinal wine your father gave me last time is very useful, but it's very expensive..." "Grandma, if you run out of it, tell me and I'll ask my dad to ask someone to bring more from Hong Kong Island." "well……" The grandmother was naturally happy that her children and grandchildren were filial. She agreed verbally, but she was reluctant to let her children and grandchildren spend the money on her. This happened many times. She would not tell anyone when she had used up the medicinal liquor, and it was only when Fang Wei discovered it that she reminded her father to buy more for her. The old lady didn't call her two grandsons in to talk about this, of course. She walked to the old wooden dressing table in the room. This table was her dowry. The sharp edges of the wood had long been polished round and shiny by the years. She held the key, but her hands were not as steady as when she was young. It took her a while to open the equally old small brass lock hanging on the drawer. The old lady opened the drawer and took out two red amulets folded into a triangle shape. She called her two grandchildren behind her and handed them the two amulets respectively. "This is the talisman that grandma got at the Mazu Temple two days ago. You two should carry it in your schoolbags. It will bless you with safety and success in your studies." "Okay, remember." Fang Wei and A Sheng took the amulet, looked at it in their hands, and put it in their pockets. The people on the islands believe in gods, especially the older generation. Not to mention the grand temple fairs every year, every household, whether they are working at sea, getting married and having children, or working or going to school, will go to the temple to worship gods and pray for blessings.
"You must keep it safe, especially you, Asheng. You are careless in doing things. You must not lose it." Grandma raised her head and looked at the two grandchildren in front of her who were taller than her. "Don't worry, grandma, I won't lose the talisman even if I lose it!" Ah Sheng quickly assured. "You little bastard, what nonsense are you talking about!" The old lady was so angry with him that she raised her hand as if to hit him, but in the end it was just a threat. After putting the amulets away for her two grandsons, the old lady took out two red envelopes from the drawer and stuffed them into the hands of her two grandsons. The old lady had prepared them long ago. Each red envelope contained a hundred yuan in change, so they looked bulging in the hands. "You are about to go back to school, and you will have to spend a lot of money. Take this red envelope. If you don't have enough money, tell grandma." "Grandma! We can't accept this. This money is given by Dad, Uncle and others to you and Grandpa! We have already registered! We have enough money!" Ah Sheng was quite sensible in this matter. Even though he didn't have much pocket money in his pocket, he would never accept his grandmother's money easily. Fang Wei also insisted that the old lady keep the money for herself to buy things, but the old lady was very stubborn. "Grandma and Grandpa can spend a little money, and we grow vegetables at home, and your father and his family often send food over. This money is for you to use, and it will also reduce the burden on your father and his family... Take it." "Grandma..." "Just take it. Don't tell your dad or the others. Remember that." "remember……" Seeing that the two good grandchildren obediently put the red envelopes into their pockets, the old lady smiled happily. "Just take the money that grandma gives you. When you graduate and can work and earn money, and have a promising future, you give money to grandma. Grandma will be so happy." Fang Wei raised his head, looking at the old lady's gray hair and wrinkles like old tree bark. He actually knew that even if he really made money in the future and came back to see her, she would not take the money. She would only say, "It's not easy for you to make money. Grandma grows vegetables and raises chickens and ducks. Grandma doesn't need this money. Grandma doesn't want your money, you keep it..." Then when she left, she would bring a lot of vegetables for her children and grandchildren, kill two chickens, and say, "The meat and vegetables outside are expensive, and Grandma can't finish them all. You can take them back to eat..." Perhaps it was this kind of emotion engraved in his bones that made him miss his distant island hometown countless times during sleepless nights in the big city. …… After listening to the old lady's nagging, the two brothers came out of their grandmother's room. Every year when a new semester starts, grandma would give the two brothers money like this. The brothers didn't open the red envelopes to see how much was inside, but they could feel the thickness. It used to be 50 yuan, but now it's probably about 100 yuan. These days, many fishermen on the island only earn four or five hundred yuan a month. For two brothers who are still in junior high school, one hundred yuan is a huge sum of money! "Ah Wei, what should I do? It seems like the money grandma gave me this time is more than before!" "Do it as before." Fang Wei said. "…Are you going to tell my dad and the others?" "Of course I have to tell your dad and the others." "But grandma told me not to tell dad and the others..." "Did your uncle ask you to give him the money before?" "No, my dad just told me to keep it for myself!" "That's right. Ah Sheng, remember, no matter if it's grandpa or grandma, as long as they give you money, you should remember to tell uncle and the others. If you don't tell them, they won't know and will think grandma and grandpa have enough money to spend. If you tell them, they will know what's going on." "I don't quite understand... But Wei, I'll listen to you."
"You heard me right." After all, it is the thinking of adults, so they always have to consider things more carefully. On the way back, Fang Wei told his parents that his grandmother gave him a red envelope of one hundred yuan. Fang Xianfeng and Tian Xilan didn't say anything, they just sighed and told Fang Wei: "Your grandpa and grandma are good to you, you should remember it in your heart and be more filial to them in the future. Since this money is given to you by your grandma, you should keep it and save it well and don't spend it carelessly." "Don't worry, Dad." "Is your grandma's medicinal wine running out again?" "Yes, it seems to me that there are not many left." "Then I'll find time to have someone bring back a few more bottles from Hong Kong Island..." …… There are no street lights on the island, but the bright moonlight still illuminates the road beneath our feet. In my ears I could hear the sound of branches swaying in the sea breeze and the chirping of insects and frogs. Then I looked up at the brilliant starry sky. School starts tomorrow... (End of this chapter)