In the small mountain village where I was born, neighbors are closer than blood. Although our family is poor, fortunately, we have such kind neighbors as Mrs. Li's family. I am 54 years old, and in addition to my parents, my brother, brother and sister are a family of five, and although our life is simple, it is full of warmth and hope.
In the 70s, life conditions were very difficult, but there was not a single idler in our family. Both grandparents and parents are working hard in the production team to earn a meager salary. Still, because there are four growing children in the family, there is always not enough food to eat. I remember that even my grandmother made a wowotou with sweet potato noodles, I could eat two in one sitting.
And Aunt Li's family lives to the west of our house. Their family is in a slightly better situation than ours. Uncle Li and Aunt Li are both hard-working people, and their son Li Qiang is in high school in the county town and does not eat at home, so their family always has a surplus of food.
Aunt Li is a warm-hearted person, every time she cooks something delicious at home, she always doesn't forget to send some to our family. Whether it's a hot nest or a fragrant cornbread, she always thinks of us first. In that era of material scarcity, such a move was undoubtedly a relief in disguise.
Every time my grandmother saw the food sent by Aunt Li, she was always moved to tears. And Aunt Li always said that this is what she should do. Later, I learned that this kindness came from our family's help to Aunt Li's family many years ago. In 67, Uncle Li fell and injured his arm in the mountains, and his family had no work, and his life was in trouble. At that time, although our family was not wealthy, my grandfather did not hesitate to give them a bag of corn to help them get through the difficulties.
This kindness has always been remembered by Mrs. Li's family. In 76, Li Qiang went to high school in the county seat, and their family had more food, and our children gradually grew up, and food began to be tight again. At this time, Aunt Li began to help our family again, sending some food from time to time.
Fast forward to 1983, when the weather was dry and our crops were not good. After paying the public rations, the family barely had enough food to eat. Unfortunately, however, that winter, Grandpa fell ill. In order to treat his grandfather, his father borrowed money from everywhere and even sold the family's corn and wheat. Grandpa eventually left us, and Grandma fell ill due to excessive grief.
Life at home has fallen into unprecedented difficulties. In order to treat his grandmother, his father had already sold everything he could, and there were only a few bags of corn and sweet potatoes left at home. At this time, Aunt Li reached out again, she brought 20 yuan, and asked her father to take her grandmother to the county seat to see a doctor.
This help in the snow touched our whole family. You know, twenty dollars was a lot of money at that time. Moreover, this is not the first time that Aunt Li has helped our family. When my grandfather was sick, my mother also borrowed 20 yuan from Aunt Li's family, and the money has not been paid off.
As the marriage of Aunt Li's son Li Qiang approaches, our family's predicament is becoming more and more prominent. According to the village custom, we not only have to pay off the forty yuan we borrowed before, but also prepare a decent gift. This is undoubtedly worse for our already stormy family.
The father was so anxious that he decided to take the only bag of white radishes left in the family to the town and sell them in the hope of getting some money back. However, the weather was not beautiful, and the cold weather made the town inaccessible, and not a single radish was sold. The father reluctantly pulled the empty car home, his eyes full of helplessness and anxiety.
Just when our family was worried about this, Aunt Li's words were like spring breeze and rain, warming our hearts. She told us that we didn't have to worry about repaying money and gifts, and that she never expected anything in return. Aunt Li's tolerance and understanding made us feel both guilty and grateful.
The day before the wedding, the atmosphere in our house was unusually heavy. My sister suddenly had a fever, and the only three yuan in the family was used to see her. In the face of Aunt Li's wedding, we couldn't even get the most basic gift money, which made us feel extremely ashamed.
In order to avoid an embarrassing situation on the wedding day, my parents decided to take us to the fourth aunt's house to visit relatives. Although we were a little disappointed, we still understood the good intentions of our parents. In this way, on the wedding day, our family locked the door early and went to the fourth aunt's house in the neighboring village.
In the evening, when we returned from the fourth aunt's house, we found that the door of Mrs. Li's house was closed, and only the happy words on the door and the firecracker crumbs on the ground reminded us that a wedding had just been held here. When we got home, my mother made a simple dinner with the few dimes she had left. Despite the difficult conditions, the family also felt a little warmth as they sat together.
However, just as we were about to rest, there was a sharp knock on the door. When the mother opened the door, she saw Aunt Li standing outside the door, holding a cloth bag in her hand, and behind her were Uncle Li and Li Qiang, who were carrying a heavy cylinder.
Aunt Li smiled and said to us that this was the meat dish they brought back from the wedding banquet, and it was originally going to be thrown away, and she felt that it was a pity, so she brought it back to us. The vat is filled with all kinds of delicious meat and vegetables, which is undoubtedly an extremely precious gift for our family, who rarely eats meat several times a year.
The mother was moved to tears and thanked her repeatedly. Aunt Li said that this is what she should do, because in her heart, we have already become her family. She also handed her mother a bag of white flour steamed buns and told us that she wanted to share the joy with us even if we didn't have a gift.
That winter, our family's dining table became rich because of the generosity of Mrs. Li's family. That jar has also become an heirloom of our family, and even if the living conditions improved later, my parents were always reluctant to throw it away. It is not only a material help, but also a symbol of deep friendship between neighbors.
As the years go by, our family's life gradually improves, but we always remember the kindness of Aunt Li's family. Every time I go back to my hometown, I will visit Aunt Li and bring some gifts to express our gratitude. The younger brother has also been living in his hometown, and when Uncle Li was sick, he did not hesitate to drive him to the hospital and accompany him until Li Qiang came back.
My mother often said, "The grace of a drop of water should be reciprocated by a spring." "Aunt Li's family is good to us, and we can't finish it in our lifetime. This mutual help and gratitude between neighbors has become a valuable asset for our family heritage.