Chapter 173 As long as your thinking doesn’t slip, there are always more solutions than problems

Xie Shen is a diligent child. He goes to school, cooks, cuts grass for pigs, catches insects, and grows his own plot every day. He also participates in Wang Qingli's pig fattening experiment and is busy like a top. Obviously, his income is gratifying and his work is not in vain.

Zhang Ruifeng's eyes were red with joy. She touched Xie Shen's head and said with a smile, "Mumu has grown up. He can now stand on his own feet."

Xie Shen smiled proudly and shyly, "Not yet. I rely on my mother and sister to help me. I can't do it alone."

Xie Yun also touched his head and said with a smile: "Don't be modest. Mom and I are working outside, and you are the one who takes care of everything at home."

This is not an exaggeration. This year, even the important task of selling pigs was completed by Xie Shen alone. Of course, he went with Qingli and others, and everyone was looking after him, but it was still quite difficult!

The three members of the Xie family all had new clothes made, and their spirits and outlook were elevated to a higher level.

Now, Xie Yun and Zhang Ruifeng basically no longer wear patched clothes, but Xie Shen still wears them because he does farm work and is reluctant to wear good clothes.

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The increase in the value of a single work point from 4 to 6 meant that every household's income increased by one-third. Nothing could have made the people happier than this.

The cohesion of the entire Liushutun has become unprecedentedly strong, and the prestige of the leadership team has reached a new height.

Zhang Guangzong walked with a gusto. The change from 4 to 6 was just the beginning. He believed that his income would continue to increase in the future!

Before the New Year, Xie Yun, as usual, took the time to give everyone holiday gifts. This time, she meant real gifts, not just selling anything. She only gave away vegetables and eggs, not large quantities, just within the normal range of social interaction. Of course, everyone generously brought her gifts in return, each far exceeding the value of the gifts she had given away. Xie Yun felt a bit like Granny Liu.

We still have to eat the meal of recalling the bitter past and cherishing the sweet past at noon on New Year’s Eve.

Although Xie Yun didn't eat with the team, she still gave Zhang Guangzong a suggestion: change the form of remembering the bitterness and thinking about the sweetness, and there is no need to force yourself to eat without suffering. Is it because you think you haven't suffered enough in the past?

It is certainly necessary to remind everyone not to forget the sufferings of the past and to cherish the hard-won new life, but the current approach will not achieve this goal at all.

"Remembering the bitterness and thinking of the sweetness should be divided into two parts: remembering the bitterness + thinking of the sweetness. Before, we only remembered the bitterness, but where was the sweetness?"

Zhang Guangzong thought, if everyone is exhausted just by eating the bitter memory rice, how can they have the energy to think about the sweet things?

But that was not the right thing to say. He asked, "What do you think we should do?"

"First, let's make the bittersweet rice delicious, at least so everyone can eat it, right? Then, let's have more conversations, talk about the hardships of the past, talk about the good life we've had recently, and look forward to the future, encouraging everyone to keep striving. Our brigade has an arts troupe, too, so let's have a performance. There's no need for anyone to actually suffer in order to recall the bittersweet days!"

The art troupe of Liushutun was originally organized by Qian Gaoyun. After she was transferred, the troupe continued to practice on their own, but without the guidance of a teacher, everyone was a bit like a headless fly. Just when everyone was thinking about whether to disband, Chen Fengsheng came.

Comrade Chen possessed a remarkable talent for the arts. He had been a key figure in the arts community during his university years and, after joining the workforce, in his workplace. Shortly after arriving, he heard about the art troupe and took it upon himself. Xie Yun had seen them rehearse, and, if nothing else, their performances of the Eight Great Model Operas were convincing. Clearly, Comrade Chen possessed greater experience than Qian Gaoyun in teaching, organizing, and motivating students.

Zhang Guangzong followed her advice and made ordinary multi-grain steamed bread for the "recalling the bitter past and thinking of the sweet future" meal, adding pickles to make it at least edible. The tragic "White Haired Girl" was replaced by "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy."

Everyone gathered together, eating steamed bread and pickles and chatting, which was a bit like a New Year's tea party.

Then there were speeches by leaders, commendations for outstanding members, and performances by the art troupe. Everyone had a lively afternoon.

Xie Yun did not participate in this activity of recalling the bitter past and thinking of the sweet past. She was still at work that day and was very busy.

February 5th, New Year’s Eve.

The drainage project was not completed.

The construction site is still in full swing, everyone is sticking to their posts, working non-stop on the 30th and continuing on the 1st of the new year.

[Busy construction site]

County leaders and commune leaders went to the construction site to express their condolences. Xie Yun, as the propaganda officer, accompanied them along the way and gained a lot of insights.

The temporary shacks that people lived in were of various kinds. The most interesting one was the cellar-style one, also called an earthen shack.

Dig a ditch about two meters long, one meter wide, and one meter deep, pad it with hay, build a sloping roof with bundles of corn stalks, cover it with straw mats, and leave a small ventilation hole. This is a single-person earthen nest.

When sleeping, crawl into it, wrap yourself tightly with the quilt, and then cover yourself with corn stalks and straw mats. It is said that the warmth-keeping effect is quite good, even warmer than those simple shacks built on the ground.

Xie Yun and his companions returned after paying their respects.

People whose homes are closer to the construction site also returned home one after another.

Even though they say they won’t stop the war, can’t they still prevent people from going home to have the New Year’s Eve dinner?

If you want to go back, go back and come back early tomorrow morning.

But most people can't leave because it's too far away and not worth the trouble.

The construction team was more flexible and gave everyone a day off, letting them leave in the afternoon and return the next day at noon. Zheng Guoqiang, a retired soldier, deputy team leader, and a homeless man, volunteered to stay and serve as the team's face.

On New Year's Eve, dumplings are a must. The construction site's makeshift canteen also prepared dumpling fillings and dough. The chef distributed the fillings and dough to everyone, saying, "If you want to eat, make your own. We're really too busy."

How many dumplings would you need to make for so many people? People nowadays have big appetites, especially men who do heavy physical labor. They eat at least 50 dumplings. They would break their hands from making dumplings and still not be able to feed them.

Some people come early and can find a place to roll out the dough and make dumplings, but those who come late have no place to go.

When Zheng Guoqiang came over, there was no place for him at all.

He didn't want to squeeze in with so many people, so he had no choice but to take some stuffing and a piece of noodles and leave.

Returning to his own earthen nest, Zheng Guoqiang sat there in a daze for a while. It is said that a good cook cannot cook without rice. Now he is like a good man who cannot make dumplings without a pot, a chopping board or a rolling pin!

Fortunately, he brought a small clay stove with him, and also brought a water boiler for the convenience of drinking hot water.

After a moment of pause and a long sigh of relief, Zheng Guoqiang picked up the large iron shovel and washed it several times until it was spotless. Then, he divided the dough into two pieces, flattened one into a pancake, and pressed it on the iron shovel. He then poured the filling on top, flattened the other piece of dough into a pancake, and pressed the edges with his hands. A pie, uneven in thickness and with an unsightly shape, was ready.

Then he put the shovel on the stove and started to bake the pie.

As long as his thinking does not slip, there are always more solutions than problems. Even if he has no pot, no chopping board, and no rolling pin, he has to eat the meal. If he can't eat dumplings, then he will eat pie.