Raising Babies in the 70s - Chapter 87

Qin Rou took the cloth to her sister Qin Mian’s house to make clothes. Qin Mian’s house was in a school near the farm. That school was very dilapidated. It was just a few small huts making up a school.

It was better than the conditions they lived in before where the house they lived in was made of bricks, the huts were thatched houses.

There were not many teachers and principals in the school, and many of the students were children from poor families in the nearby villages, who came to school in rags and were bare feet.

Qin Mian sewed small pants for these children with tattered rags. During the day, the sun was shining and the children did not have umbrellas. They would come to class using coconut leaves for shade, just like little squirrels with leaves on their backs.

Originally, the teachers were not very educated, and the ones graduating from middle and high school could become elementary school teachers.

But, after Chen Mian came, he, a “college student”, had become the most literate teacher in the whole school.

Not to mention his father Chen Yubai, who was originally a university teacher.

Chen Mian spoke fluent English. He would teach children languages ​​and mathematics. He also taught very well. The principal and other teachers respected his family very much.

Chen Yubai had read countless history books. He had a lot of stories to tell the children. Many students liked to go to Grandpa Chen to listen to the stories.

The parents of the students were not literate people, but they respected the teachers. The small fish and shrimps on the beach were not worth a lot of money, so they let the children bring them to school for the teachers to eat.

At that time, there were many wild fruits on the mountain. The Chen family, Jing Yi and other children went to the forest to pick fruits together, and ate happily every day.

Many villagers had also planted some fruit trees. Of course, the fruits were not worth much. The mountain lychee on a whole tree was only 50 cents.

If one couldn’t eat it, it would only get rotten. At that time, there was no storage and transportation. It couldn’t be transported outside. The temperature was high and it was easy to spoil. It could be dried, but still couldn’t be used much.

The Chen family lived on small fish,  shrimps and wild fruits. The conditions around were not good, but they were not starving. Qin Rou also brought a few boxes of leeks, lettuce and tomatoes which were grown on the second floor of her home for her sister.

The school also allocated a vegetable plot to their family, and Qin Mian was planning to do a good job in the same way as her sister.

Lu Yan borrowed a transport car to send Qin Rou over, and went with his brother-in-law to pick up some planks and thatch, prepared to build two or three more houses. The house where the Chen family lived now was fine, but it would not be suitable for living if the typhoon arrived. They had to hide in the teaching building to avoid the typhoon.

The windows in the thatched hut were open, and the light in the daytime was excellent. Qin Mian sat in front of the sewing machine, flipped through the rags and plaids brought by her sister, and praised, “These are good materials. It’s not cheap. You just got married, so you should really make some new clothes. Let me take your measurements and I’ll make some clothes for you right away.”

“Is there a red cloth? I will make a red dress for you, even if you don’t wear it out, you can keep it.”

For people at that time, marriage was a big event. No matter how poor and hard people’s lives were, they spent a lot of money when they got married, making clothes, buying cigarettes and alcohol.

“The floral ones can be made into simple shirts or skirts. The white ones can be made into tops, and the army green ones can be made into trousers… There is no need to make pants. I altered Lu Yan’s old clothes and I can wear them too. They just issued new military uniforms… There is still some cloth, so instead make two for my little nephew.”

“You made clothes for him before. He still has his brother’s old clothes, how can you waste your good clothes? If there are rags, sister, I will not be polite to you, I will make him clothes.”

“Sister, how’s life here?”

“Can’t you tell? Look at your brother-in-law and his father, they are in better spirits…”

Qin Mian used to be a girl living in the mountains, so naturally she didn’t dislike such living conditions. She was afraid that her husband and her father-in-law would dislike it, but the two men were fine. Moreover they even liked it.

They probably liked the sunshine and air there and said goodbye to old life easily. They were surrounded by some new acquaintances, and all were very kind to them. Although the students were a little naughty, they respected the teacher very much.

Every day they could see clear blue sky and white clouds, dazzling sunshine, lush mountains and fresh air. Even if they lived in a thatched hut, they felt open-minded.

Especially since , after coming there, her father-in-law’s body gradually improved and he became a tough old man.

He sometimes rode a bicycle to go around and chatted with the old people in the village. He also heard that the old people there lived long-life and he wanted to as well.