Chapter 398 Mobilization

Seeing everyone's tense expressions, Song Lubai felt a pang of conscience.

After everyone finished talking at once, Song Lubai waved for everyone to be quiet.

“Today, Team Leader Yu fought for everyone’s livelihood. We think that as long as this workshop can support everyone, that’s good. But we’re wrong to think like that. We have to make some money for the regiment. The regiment supports us in doing this because we’re counting on us to make money. If we make money, our regiment can build roads, raise everyone’s wages, build houses, and buy grain. If we don’t make much money or even lose money, then we’re dragging the regiment down. In that case, we should really close down.”

"Everyone, let's work hard together. I don't believe we'll only earn that little this month. Everyone, do your best. If we earn thirty yuan more this month than we did in the previous month and a half, I'll ask Team Leader Yu for a bonus, and everyone will get one..."

Before Song Lubai's lips were even dry from talking, a raging fire was burning in everyone's eyes.

We must work hard! We must make money for the group! We must get a reward! The food workshop must not be closed!

Song Lubai didn't do any strenuous work, but after a busy morning, she was so hungry and weak that she felt anxious as she sat on the stool.

There was nothing to eat in the small office. She checked her watch and saw that it was time to go home for dinner.

When Deng Hong saw her come out, she called out, "Xiao Song, could you stop by my house and ask my husband to cook some food and bring it to me? I won't be going back home for lunch today."

Song Lubai responded and went out the door.

Looking at Song Lubai's retreating figure, Old Wang said, "Comrade Song is pregnant but still works every day. It's really not easy for her."

While busy at work, Liu Xiaohua took a break and said, "I used to work in the fields even when I was pregnant. Everyone went through that. Comrade Song is much more comfortable than us. At least she doesn't have to do farm work every day."

Deng Hong glanced at her and said, "What's wrong? Are you feeling resentful?"

Liu Xiaohua remained silent, but her expression clearly showed her dissatisfaction.

Everyone works hard, but Song Lubai doesn't have to work in the fields or do any of the work here. Her life is much more comfortable than those unfortunate pregnant women.

Deng Hong said, "Comrade Song's husband's salary is enough to support her. She could have done nothing. If you saw her sitting at home taking care of her pregnancy without doing anything, wouldn't you feel even worse?"

Liu Xiaohua said softly, "It wasn't me who told her to do it, so why would you ask me to do it?"

Deng Hong said, "I remember you also received the fabric from the shoemaking team. You used to make shoes to earn some money. If it weren't for Xiao Song, our troupe wouldn't even be able to get fabric. Don't just look at how well other people are doing. You wouldn't be able to handle those things if you were asked to."

Liu Xiaohua lowered her head and remained silent, thinking to herself that different people have different fates.

They're both women, but she has to do farm work while pregnant, while some people don't. She's exhausted every day, while some people just talk and write, living such comfortable lives!

Liu Xiaohua couldn't help but say, "I wish I were a cultured person too!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Hong felt a bit more favorably disposed towards Liu Xiaohua.

"There are literacy classes in the troupe at night. You should go and learn, to improve your literacy, just like Zhao Hongying next door. Speaking of Comrade Hongying..."

As Deng Hong added fuel to the stove, she recounted the changes in Zhao Hongying over the past two years.

Deng Hong admired Song Lubai and also appreciated Zhao Hongying.

Zhao Hongying used to be a peasant, but she was able to get a job as a clerk in a government agency through her own efforts.

Although Comrade Hongying is a sycophant, she is an ambitious sycophant, and a sycophant with substance.

After Deng Hong finished speaking, Liu Xiaohua's mouth was agape in an "O" shape.

Not only Liu Xiaohua, but other workers were in the same situation.

Everyone had seen Zhao Hongying handle things, separated by only a wall, and could hear the sounds coming from next door at any time in the courtyard.

Comrade Zhao Hongying has a loud voice and is efficient in handling matters; she doesn't sound illiterate.

Looking at everyone's expressions, Deng Hong said softly, "Don't think that literacy is useless. How can knowing more words be useless? Look at yourselves, who are the people who work hard to make a living, and who are the people who get things done easily? In the future, when you have time, go to a literacy class and learn something useful."

Deng Hong herself is learning, but she is learning at home with her husband.

She had only completed the third grade of elementary school and didn't know much, but she wasn't completely illiterate.

Song Lubai, feeling weak from hunger, arrived at the gate of Deng Hong's house.

Wu Jianying is lighting a fire in front of the stove.

Song Lubai relayed the message at the door and then left.

As she passed by the row of houses ahead, several dozen meters away, she spotted Yang Xiu'e standing at the gate of the courtyard, hands on her hips, talking as she spoke.

The courtyard gate opened, and Feng Gang chased after her. Yang Xiu'e took off running.

Feng Gang didn't chase after him, but instead shouted, "If you run away, don't come back!"

Song Lubai didn't hear clearly what the two were arguing about, but she did hear Feng Gang's last shout.

Seeing Feng Gang turn his head around, Song Lubai quickly hid her head behind the wall.

When she peeked out again, Feng Gang had already been admitted to the hospital.

She was so hungry she felt weak, so she quickened her pace and went home.

Wei Zhao was cooking porridge and steaming cornbread. Song Lubai couldn't wait, so she soaked three biscuits in water from the teapot and ate them. Only after eating them did she feel less uncomfortable.

Wei Yang, who had finished washing clothes in the yard, came into the house and saw the cookie crumbs on her mouth. He wiped them off for her with his fingers.

"Don't come back by yourself tonight. From now on, if I'm home, I'll pick you up. If I'm not home, I'll have my sister pick you up."

Song Lubai nodded, feeling less hungry, and wanted to get down to business.

"Feng Gang, what's going to happen between you two from now on?"

Wei Yang sat down on the edge of the bed and said, "Don't worry about that, I can handle it."

Feng Gang is stubborn and narrow-minded. The tension between the two of them has been building for a long time. He's not afraid of Feng Gang doing something, but he's afraid of Feng Gang doing nothing.

Song Lubai leaned on his shoulder, blinked, and asked, "Did I embarrass myself today?"

Wei Yang felt that she didn't seem worried about being embarrassed; rather, she was seeking praise.

He flicked her nose with his finger and said with a smile, "You're quick-witted, what you said makes a lot of sense."

Recalling Feng Gang's furious expression at the meeting, Song Lubai chuckled.

If Feng Gang hadn't spoken so harshly, belittling the food workshop to nothing, she wouldn't have said those offensive things.

Wei Yang put his arm around her shoulder and said, "You have to be more careful in the future. It may not be that bad, but it's never a bad thing to be careful."

Song Lubai knew what he was talking about, nodded vigorously, and touched her stomach, saying, "I got hungry around noon today. I get hungry not long after eating lately. Look at my stomach, isn't it a bit too big?"

When Wei Zhao called them to eat at the door, he heard Song Lubai's words and looked at her belly a few times before saying, "Your belly is a bit big. You're hungry because the baby in your belly has consumed all the nutrients. You're in the late stages of pregnancy, so you need to eat more, but not too much. If the baby is too big, you'll suffer during childbirth. You need to control your food intake and try not to eat too much."

Song Lubai felt that Wei Zhao, who had been through similar experiences, made sense.

She's been eating a lot lately, and her belly is bigger than Zhao Dongmei's before she gave birth last year; it looks a bit scary.