Chapter 54: The old man is so pitiful
After watching the excitement, everyone was full of energy when it was time to work. In the morning, the villagers weeded the assigned fields, and in the afternoon they went to the sweet potato fields to turn over the vines and cut grass. The weather this year has been very cooperative, raining when it was supposed to and sunny when it was supposed to be. The crops are growing very well, and everyone is hoping to get a bigger share of the grain at the end of the year.
Although Shen Yuzhu and Zhou Congsheng both felt that the time they could spend alone together was very short, they were very serious when they were doing things, and they felt very satisfied when they occasionally glanced back.
After four o'clock, the sunlight was no longer so intense, and a gentle breeze made the sweat on my back feel cool. Except during the double harvest season, Captain Lü was not so strict with the villagers about their work.
As long as it doesn't interfere with the farming season, he sometimes takes the initiative to let people rest when they want to. Today, he slaughtered chickens and fish to entertain the agricultural research institute and the stationed soldiers. This is all because of his little tricks.
Not long after the evening work bell rang, several elderly people carrying baskets came down from the mountain. They walked with difficulty, their clothes were tattered, and one old man was using a cane and walked with a limp.
As expected, the soldiers at the Agricultural Research Institute noticed. Zhou Congsheng called a few people to take them home, and Yang Ping from the Agricultural Research Institute called on his junior colleagues to donate money, but Lü Guangping refused all of these offers.
This help was only temporary and not his goal.
When it was time for dinner that evening, Zhou Congsheng was also invited to join them. At that time, Lü Jianshe had just returned from buying wine and meat, while Zhou Li and Li Wang carried fish and vegetables, respectively.
Having been the wife of the brigade leader for so many years, Qian Cuilian was a shrewd woman. She knew that her husband must have something to do today, so she invited Qiao Wangshu to come over to help with the cooking after work, hoping to make things go more smoothly.
Sure enough, after a few rounds of drinks, the conversation turned to the old man they met on their way home from work.
"Those elderly people lost their children early and have no relatives left. One of them only has a granddaughter. She has lost her ability to work and receives less grain every year. Her labor bonus and rice, flour and oil coupons are even less. It's a pity that the commune only allocates a few quotas for the village to be given to the five-guarantee households every year. They are so pitiful!"
Even Professor Yao, a rigid and unapproachable person, understood the meaning at this moment. Yang Ping and the other students did not dare to speak, as this was not something they could decide.
Zhou Congsheng didn't say anything. He hadn't been stationed there for long, and the leadership of the military and the county government were not in the same system, so it was even more inconvenient for him to interfere.
Lu Guangzhi awkwardly put his wine glass on the table. "Professor Yao, Captain Zhou, please don't misunderstand. I'm shamelessly asking you to help me get a spot on the 'Five Guarantees' program today. I'm just wondering if you could write a letter of recommendation for me. Just a letter of recommendation will do. Whether they can get it later depends on the leadership."
Professor Yao thought about it and decided that the letter of recommendation was not a big deal, so he readily agreed. However, it would be more difficult to handle Zhou Congsheng's situation. He said to Lü Guangzhi, "After I go back, I will report to the leadership. If the organization approves, the letter of recommendation will be sent the day after tomorrow."
Lü Guangzhi was overjoyed and stood up, bowing to toast the two men.
Zhou Congsheng and Professor Yao also quickly stood up, as Captain Lü's character and integrity were even more worthy of respect.
Hearing the old man's happy voice in the main room, Qian Cuilian, who had been worried all night, gradually felt relieved and handed the large bowl of stew she had left over to Qiao Wangshu.
"The fact that this matter was able to be accomplished today is all thanks to your quick thinking and that you and Shen Zhiqing were able to send a few elderly people from the village up the mountain. Please give this to Shen Zhiqing for my aunt. I thank her on behalf of the elderly people in the village."
"Auntie, what are you doing? Yuzhu definitely won't accept this. Besides, we didn't do anything."
“How can we say we haven’t done anything? The commune leaders are also having a headache over this. They hope it can be done as soon as possible, otherwise they won’t get much grain after winter and there will be no subsidies, which could lead to people dying.”
The village, the production brigade, the commune, and the county government each have their own difficulties, but these difficulties can be overcome, especially since this year is a bumper harvest year. Several elderly people in the village need to repair their houses and prepare for winter, otherwise they will not be able to leave their homes when it gets cold, and life will be difficult.
Shen Yuzhu made carrot and meat buns, Northeastern-style spicy hot pot, and a basin of sour plum soup for Zhao Yue.
Zhao Yue screamed when she took her first bite. After swallowing the food, a string of drool dripped down her chin. Shen Yuzhu quickly turned her face away, pretending not to see it.
Zhao Yue was used to being rough, so she chuckled twice, not caring at all, wiped her mouth, and started eating.
Immediately, a chorus of "Wow!" echoed through the main room.
After settling his comrades in, Song Biao came over. He could smell a rich aroma at the entrance of the courtyard, and he ran quickly toward the main room.
"Sister-in-law, what's this?"
"I just made something simple. This mala tang has cornmeal and vermicelli in it. I was worried that it wouldn't be enough for you, so I also steamed a few baskets of buns. This is a pickled plum that I brought from Haicheng. I added rock sugar and boiled it. Try it."
Song Biao's mouth watered. When Shen Yuzhu said "try it," he had already picked up his chopsticks. When Qiao Wangshu brought him the food, he ate a small bowl. His eyes lit up, and he even wanted to invite Shen Yuzhu to join their village's cooking team.
When Zhou Congsheng returned, he saw Song Biao and Zhao Yue lounging lazily on stools in the yard, leaning against the wall.
"What kind of movements are those two making? Don't you look like soldiers? How do you train?"
"Captain, no, um~, it's not our fault. Your wife's cooking is just too delicious. We're so full we can't stand up. It's more comfortable to lie here like this."
"Um, brother, don't talk to us. I feel like the food is stuck in my throat and I'll spit it out if I open my mouth. I can't bear to do that."
Zhou Congsheng: "......."
They're so pathetic, it's unbearable to look at!
After a while, Zhou Congsheng came out of the main room with his hands behind his back, expressionless and walking slowly. Song Biao and Zhao Yue looked up at him at the same time, their eyes filled with cunning.
"Captain, didn't you eat the food my sister-in-law made?"
"Captain, didn't you drink the plum juice my sister-in-law left for you?"
Who was Zhou Congsheng? He was the kind of person who could make a fool of himself in front of the two of them. When he turned around, he sneered at them and said, "If you're so bored, while it's still light, go and chop some firewood and repair the houses of the families you see today. Don't just sit here lounging around after you've eaten your fill. Do you hear me?"
After digesting their food for a while, the two remembered the elderly people who had come down from the mountain when they finished work. They quickly stood up, saluted Zhou Congsheng, and went out.
Shen Yuzhu threw the unwashed dishes and chopsticks directly into the dishwasher in her space. She then put two bowls of hot spicy hot pot and a bowl of stew given to her by Aunt Qian into a thermos and a basket. After leaving the kitchen, she handed the basket directly to Zhou Congsheng, while she carried a small jar herself.
"Come on, I'll take you to see someone."
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