Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Is it acceptable to be a little poorer?
Maomao stared at Fu Mingze for a long time with his mouth puffed out, but Fu Mingze's expression did not change at all. Maomao sighed like a little adult, said "forget it", broke the orange in his hand into two halves, and gave half to Zhou Zhaodi.
Zhou Zhaodi was not like Maomao, who was dissatisfied with getting worse and smaller oranges. In her impression, children could only get worse things, or even nothing.
So she took the orange with sparkling eyes, carefully peeled a slice and put it in her mouth, then smiled and squinted her eyes, probably because she felt it was both sour and delicious.
Shen Moer glanced at Fu Mingze, a smile on her lips, and she broke the orange in half like Maomao, then handed one half to Fu Mingze.
Fu Mingze glanced at the half red orange pinched by her slender fingers, and did not take it. He said, "Didn't I tell you to eat it yourself and not share it with others?"
Shen Moer directly stuffed half an orange into his hand. The touch of another person's skin was gone as soon as it touched him. Fu Mingze heard her say lightly: "I didn't give it to others. Isn't this for you?"
Fu Mingze's heart suddenly jumped. Shen Moer had already patted the two little ones' heads and said, "It's time to go to school and work."
Fu Mingze glanced at the mischievous Maomao who was looking at them with his big black eyes, and endured it. He said, "I'll come to see you later." After that, he turned around and left, holding half an orange in his hand.
Shen Moer raised her eyebrows. What do you mean by going to see her later? Is there anything that can’t be said now?
She curled her lips and smiled, then rushed the two little ones to school.
During the autumn harvest period, almost everyone became darker, including Shen Moer and Cheng Tao. Only Shen Lingling remained almost the same. Every time they met in the office these days, Shen Lingling would hold a palm-sized piece of mirror and yell in a sarcastic tone that she had become darker.
Shen Moer felt deeply that this office was missing a Zhang Zhiqiang, otherwise Shen Lingling would not have to perform a solo all the time, and she and Cheng Tao could also watch a play in their spare time to spice up their lives.
But today Shen Lingling changed her words: "Yang Da Niu is not someone who can be easily dealt with. Just because she married for the second time and brought her son to Yangliu Brigade, and the Zhou family still dotes on her previous son like a little ancestor, you know that this woman is not an easy person to deal with."
Shen Moer stared at her, and thought that Zhou Xiaoshuan's house was not far from the old Shen family's blue brick and tile house, and guessed that Shen Lingling must have heard the noise in their house.
"The Zhou family treats her previous son like a little ancestor. What does it have to do with how powerful she is? Doesn't this only show that the Zhou family has a problem with their brains?"
The corners of Shen Lingling's mouth twitched, and she was unable to continue speaking for a while.
Cheng Tao couldn't help laughing out loud.
After school in the afternoon, Chen Moer gave Maomao and Zhou Zhaodi some special lessons in the office. When she saw that it was almost time, she locked the door and took them out.
As a result, halfway through the journey, he bumped into Yang Da Nv who was walking towards him with her arms akimbo. Yang Da Nv put her hands on her hips and shouted, "Zhou Zhaodi, you are getting too bold, aren't you? I told you to go home right after school, so why are you hiding in school?!"
Zhou Zhaodi glanced at Shen Moer, whispered "Goodbye, Teacher Shen", and ran over quickly. Yang Danniu reached out and slapped her twice: "You lazy money loser, you're going to tear down the roof if you don't get beaten for three days, right?!" Shen Moer saw that she was hitting him without any mercy and had no intention of stopping. Almost reflexively, she took a few steps over and grabbed her hand: "Just talk, don't hit me, you are abusing children!"
Fortunately, Comrade Fu Mingze gave her some scientific advice, otherwise she would not know how to righteously and confidently find an appropriate reason for her behavior.
They had to stop it, and half of Zhou Zhaodi's face was beaten red.
Yang Danniu, whose hand was grabbed by her, started to cry without stopping: "You hit me, you bullied me, you hit a pregnant woman, you bullied a pregnant woman——"
He even grabbed Shen Moer tightly with his backhand: "Don't try to run, my stomach hurts, ouch ouch, my stomach hurts!"
At this moment, a figure rushed over quickly: "What are you doing, let her go, she is pregnant, let her go quickly!"
The man rushed straight towards Chen Moer. If Chen Moer had not reacted quickly and dodged, she and Yang Danniu would have been knocked to the ground.
In order to avoid being hit, Shen Moer kicked the man while dodging, taking the initiative to kick him to the ground.
Then, she raised the hand that Yang Danniu was holding tightly and said, "Look carefully, who is not letting go of whom?"
Zhou Xiaoshuan's face turned pale. He was stunned for a moment when he saw Shen Moer's hand being tightly grasped by Yang Danniu, and then he shouted angrily: "She is pregnant!"
"If I hadn't considered that she was pregnant, I would have kicked her away a long time ago." Shen Moer looked at Zhou Xiaoshuan calmly, "Uncle Xiaoshuan, you should know that it would be easy for me to kick her away."
Zhou Xiaoshuan's face didn't look very good, but Shen Moer did kick him to the ground just now, so it must be easy for her to kick Yang Danniu.
"Kick me if you dare. You are a teacher, not only do you lock up children in school, but you also bully pregnant women. Do you think you are right..." Yang Da Niu shouted in a shrill voice, "I have a stomachache. Don't even think about leaving. You have to pay me!"
Zhou Xiaoshuan was more concerned about Yang Da Nv's belly, so he got up and tried to pull her away, but Yang Da Nv refused to let go and kept yelling at Shen Moer to pay him. Zhou Zhaodi was already crying on the side, and Maomao was so anxious that he shouted, "You grabbed Teacher Shen yourself, Teacher Shen didn't hit you at all, you are wrongly accusing her!" Unfortunately, no one paid any attention to the child's words.
The members who lived nearby all ran out to see, and soon a crowd gathered around.
Shen Moer was about to speak when someone suddenly walked out of the crowd and stopped in front of Shen Moer: "Sister-in-law Zhou, you can't just wrongly accuse me like this. I saw it all just now. You were the first to hit Zhou Zhaodi. Comrade Shen Moer just gently stopped you, but you turned the tables and blamed her. This is really not a good thing to do. Since I saw it, I still have to stand up and explain the matter truthfully."
Well said.
Shen Moer took a look and saw that it was the educated youth Shi Wei.
She was sure that this person was not at the scene when Yang Danniu rushed over just now.
But it was obvious that Yang was not as sure as she was. Her sharp voice was choked for a moment, and she retorted after a while: "You said you saw it, so you saw it? You are talking nonsense, are you helping that little bitch?!"
This time, before Shen Moer could get angry, Zhou Mancang, who had rushed over, shouted, "Who are you scolding, Zhou Xiaoshuan? If you can't control your wife, take her and get out of Yangliu Brigade!"
Zhou Mancang looked so angry that his hair was about to explode: "Several children took tutoring classes to participate in the competition. Did I record their work points according to the amount of rice ears they picked? Haven't you been taking advantage of us for so long? Didn't I tell you that Teacher Shen sacrificed her own time to tutor the children for free, and asked you to remember her kindness and be polite to her?! And in the end, this is how you are polite to your teacher?!"
"How can she work so hard without any benefits? Who knows what benefits the higher-ups will give her!" Yang Danu said confidently, "The work points for picking up rice ears were before we went to the city competition. Now we are going to the provincial competition. We must get full work points every day, right? I have so many things to do at home and outside, and I am counting on you, the little loser, to help me. We won't do it without full work points!"
She glanced at Shi Wei and originally wanted to ask for compensation for Shen Moer's bullying of her, but obviously now there was a witness, and the little bastard from Chen Zhuangzhuang's family kept yelling beside her, so no one would believe her anymore.
This is really a case of the dog trying to catch the mouse and meddling in other people's business.
Shen Moer finally understood how the captain had convinced their families before.
During the autumn harvest, children who help pick up rice ears and pass rice in the fields also get work points. The points are not much, only three to five a day, but for children who are not considered laborers, it is a lot, especially if they can be recorded for more than a month. When added up, it is a small windfall for every family.
The brigade cadres must have discussed this matter, especially since the children had won awards. Zhou Mancang was naturally not afraid to mention it in public. Those families did take advantage, but not everyone can take advantage of this. At most, others would just envy and be jealous of their good luck.
But who would have thought that Yang Da Nv was still not satisfied. On the surface, it seemed that she was deliberately making trouble today because she was dissatisfied with Zhou Zhaodi having less time to work at home, but in fact, she was aiming to get full work points every day.
It would be a miracle if Zhou Mancang agreed.
Zhou Mancang's face darkened. He ignored Yang Danniu and said directly to Zhou Xiaoshuan, "If you have anything to say, ask your father to come and tell me. You are not qualified. The competition is the honor of the team. If you continue to beat the children and prevent them from studying, you will be destroying the collective interests. The team will deal with it based on the specific situation."
When Zhou Xiaoshuan heard about damaging collective interests, his face turned pale. This was a serious crime these days, and being arrested and sent to labor camp was the lightest punishment.
He quickly pulled Yang Danniu over and said, "No, we definitely won't beat the child. We will definitely let the child study hard and will definitely not cause any trouble to the brigade."
Yang Danniu wanted to say something, but someone covered her mouth with his hand.
Having a son is important, but the family must have food to raise the child. If the brigade really accuses them of undermining the collective interests and assigns them the hardest jobs with the least work points, then their whole family will be left with nothing!
At this time, it seemed that there was no need to worry about Yang Da Niu being pregnant. Zhou Xiaoshuan simply covered her mouth and dragged her away. Zhou Zhaodi carefully glanced at Shen Moer, then wiped her tears and followed her father.
Zhou Mancang let out a long sigh. It was clearly a good thing that would bring honor to the family, but it turned out like this.
She has already gained so many benefits, but she still wants to bite off another piece of meat from the brigade. If she succeeds, the brigade will no longer have to work.
Zhou Mancang, standing on the standpoint of the brigade, comforted Shen Moli and emphasized the importance and support of the brigade and the commune on this matter. He asked Shen Moli to tell him directly if she had any problems or difficulties in the future, and to tell him directly if there were anyone in the village who was blind, and he would naturally deal with those people.
These words were actually also said to the members who were watching. Zhou Mancang was really afraid that there were still those who were foolish enough to think that Shen Laoqi and his daughter could still be bullied at will as before, and were blind enough to cause trouble.
No one noticed that when Zhou Mancang said these words, Shi Wei's eyes flashed and he looked at Shen Moer meaningfully.
Aunt Chen and her daughter-in-law Li Xinmei hurried over when the crowd dispersed. Both of them were good at talking. They sent Shen Moer back home and scolded Yang Danniu and Zhou Xiaoshuan all the way.
You know, their Maomao was able to win the award and go to the provincial competition, and their whole family was so happy and grateful to Chen Moer. But after Yang Danniu made such a fuss, they were treated like ungrateful people.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law said so many nice things along the way that they almost swore to heaven that they definitely did not have that damn dirty thought like Yang Danniu.
Shen Moer could only repeatedly express that she didn't care and that she absolutely believed in their character.
She really didn't care too much, because even if the captain didn't show up today, she wouldn't suffer any loss. In fact, she was better at making trouble than Yang Danniu, and she would never make the same blunt and untrustworthy mistake as Yang Danniu.
There is just a very fresh feeling, a feeling of gradually integrating into this village and this world.
Although this little episode was ostensibly directed at Shen Moer, in fact the Zhou family was targeting the brigade headquarters, intending to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune. Shen Moer just treated it as a farce and forgot about it when she returned home.
Shen Moer scooped up the rice and started cooking.
She was a little frightened, so she rewarded herself. She didn't add any coarse grains and just scooped a whole bowl of rice.
While she was still washing rice, there was a knock on the courtyard door. Shen Moer put down the enamel pot for washing rice and went to open the door.
Fu Mingze stood outside, sweating profusely. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants. He looked clean and upright, but his patched white shirt was soaked with sweat. In his hand, he was holding a rooster that was squeaking and struggling, which looked inexplicably cute and incongruous.
Shen Moer was stunned for a moment, and couldn’t help wanting to laugh: “You ran here?”
As he said this, he stepped aside and motioned for the person to come in. Then he kicked the stone beside the door out of habit to block the gate.
Fu Mingze looked down at the stone with an ambiguous look in his eyes. Shen Moer followed his gaze and also looked at the stone. She thought of something and couldn't help but curl her lips.
Neither of them tacitly started a conversation about the stone. Fu Mingze walked into the yard as if nothing had happened and stuffed the chicken in his hand into the chicken coop in the corner.
When they were building the new house, they built a chicken coop in the yard. However, they were very busy after the new house was built, and they really lacked experience in raising chickens, so they put the matter on hold for the time being.
However, it didn't seem like Fu Mingze was asking her to help raise the chicken. After all, according to regulations, each household could only raise three chickens. Generally, people would choose to raise hens, and occasionally a rooster. When they grew up, they would slaughter them and eat them during the New Year.
Without waiting for Shen Moer to ask, Fu Mingze explained: "This was exchanged privately with someone. The autumn harvest is too tiring, so I want to make some good things to supplement it. It's not convenient for the educated youth to do it, so I thought of troubling you and Uncle Qi to help."
The educated youth point is indeed not very convenient, especially... Thinking of Zhang Zhiqiang, Yang Qingqing, Shi Wei and others, Shen Moer frowned. It's not inconvenient, but it feels quite dangerous.
"When will the chicken be cooked?" Shen Moer asked directly.
"It depends on your convenience. I'll ask Zheng Jiamin to come over. He has also paid for the tickets." Fu Mingze said.
Shen Moer nodded. This was what she should do: "Then let's do it tomorrow. It's too late today. I'll stew it early tomorrow. You can come directly after work. I will prepare rice and vegetables."
Fu Mingze nodded, looked at her carefully, and changed the subject: "I heard that Zhou Zhaodi's stepmother caused trouble for you. Did you suffer any harm?"
Shen Moer suddenly reacted and laughed: “Are you running here because you’re afraid that I’ll suffer a loss?”
Fu Mingze was stunned for a moment, but did not deny it: "Well, I heard that the man was quite fierce, but when I ran over, they had already dispersed."
He wasn't very familiar with the villagers, and it wasn't convenient for him to just go and ask others about their situation.
The logical part is that I know that she will not suffer any loss. Since the grain robbery incident, she seems to have never suffered any loss again. But apart from the logical part, I am still afraid that she will be the same as before, not daring to resist even the grain robbery, or that she is too thin-skinned to fight against those shrews in the village.
Shen Moer raised her eyebrows: “Don’t worry, I won’t suffer any loss.”
She thought for a moment and then said, "You know I'm actually quite strong and accurate. I didn't resist before because I didn't think clearly. Now it's different. I will resist and won't be bullied anymore. Besides, this matter is not my own business. If I don't say anything, the captain and other people in the village will help me."
Fu Mingze nodded: "Yes, I know."
Knowing is one thing, worrying is another.
The two were silent for a while, and Shen Moer asked: "Stay for dinner, I'm preparing dinner."
Fu Mingze shook his head: "No, I'll go back to the Youth League to eat."
After saying that, he did not turn around and leave. He stood there for a while. Shen Moer looked at him and saw beads of sweat on his chin. Suddenly, she remembered, "I'll pour you a bowl of water. Drink some water before going back."
Fu Mingze was stunned for a moment, then said, "Okay, I am indeed a little thirsty."
He followed Shen Moer into the kitchen and watched her take a bowl from the enamel basin on the side of the stove, first pour a little cold water from the covered enamel tank, then pick up the thermos and add hot water to it, her slender fingertips probed the temperature, screwed the lid of the thermos back on the ground, turned around with the bowl in her hand and handed it to him with a smile: "The temperature should be just right."
Fu Mingze lowered his eyes slightly, took the white porcelain bowl and drank slowly.
Shen Moer washed the rice again, poured it into the pot and covered it with water, then went to the back of the stove to light the fire.
Soon, an orange-red fire lit up in the stove hole, reflecting on her beautiful face, flickering and giving off a kind of frightening beauty.
Sometimes, Fu Mingze was actually a little confused. Why did such a beautiful girl have such a low presence in the village before?
But secretly, she felt somewhat fortunate that she had not attracted much attention before. Otherwise, with her previous personality, there would have been more trouble and danger.
I don’t know if it is because of this consideration that the father and daughter have been enduring so much?
After all, Fu Mingze thought about it and always felt that her father was actually a kind of wise but foolish person.
Fu Mingze was lost in thought. Even though he drank slowly, he finished the water in the bowl bit by bit. He stared absentmindedly at a small area on the ground illuminated by the firelight until Shen Moer looked up and asked him, "You finished the water, do you want some more?"
"Need not."
Fu Mingze stood up from the small stool, scooped a spoonful of water from the water tank, washed the bowl, and put the bowl back into the enamel basin.
"Want to make a cabinet?" Fu Mingze asked.
Chen Moer used the fire tongs to casually adjust the position of the firewood in the stove, and then ignored it. She took the cowpeas from the bamboo basket and picked them into half-finger-long strips: "I have to make it. I'm still a little short of money."
Speaking of this, she looked up and asked Fu Mingze: "Have you been to the commune recently? I haven't given Bao Ge the money for the bicycle yet. When will you bring it to him?"
Logically speaking, the rooster could not have been bought in the village, and most likely it was obtained from the commune.
Fu Mingze hadn't mentioned the bicycle money for such a long time, but Shen Moer had always been thinking about it and hadn't dared to touch the eighty yuan.
Fu Mingze was slightly stunned. He had actually forgotten about this matter. After all, he had already paid the money when he picked up the bicycle, and subconsciously he had not thought about getting the money back... However, considering his image as a poor educated youth, there was really no reason for him not to accept the money.
But her family was financially tight, and the money from the bicycle might have been intended to be used to buy wood to have someone build a cupboard. But because she bought the bicycle, the plan to build the cupboard had to be postponed, and the bowl could only continue to be placed in the enamel basin.
"Brother Bao is away packing things. Let's talk about it later."
Fu Mingze found an excuse, hesitated, and said, "I should go back."
"Then come back tomorrow."
Shen Moer stood up and walked him to the gate of the courtyard. After watching him walk away, she turned back to the kitchen to continue washing and cutting vegetables.
Stir-fried cowpea with bacon, scrambled eggs with spinach, mushroom soup, two dishes, a soup and white rice. Tonight's meal must be one of the best in Yangliu Brigade.
Just as she was soaking the wild mushrooms in hot water, Shen Moer heard hurried footsteps coming from outside the door. She turned back in surprise, remembering that she forgot to close the gate when she sent Fu Mingze out, and the footsteps were not from her father.
As a result, Fu Mingze, who had clearly left, appeared again at the kitchen door. Beads of sweat hung on his handsome face, and his breathing was a little rapid and he was slightly panting, as if he had run all the way back.
"Is there anything else?" Shen Moer looked at him in surprise.
Fu Mingze stood at the door and looked at her in silence for a while, his deep eyes filled with a strong emotion that was difficult to understand.
Then, before Shen Moer spoke again, he suddenly asked: “Comrade Shen Moer, besides recruiting a son-in-law, do you have any other requirements for finding a partner?”
Shen Moer blinked in even greater surprise.
Fu Mingze narrowed his eyes slightly and asked again: "Can you accept being a little poorer?"
Shen Moer reacted and couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth slightly.
Fu Mingze raised his eyes and looked straight at her. His voice was a little low, but it was very clear to Shen Moer's ears: "Are you willing to consider someone like me?"
The surroundings seemed exceptionally quiet. Shen Moer felt as if she could hear her own heartbeat getting faster and faster, mixed with the crackling sound of the burning wood in the stove, and perhaps some other sounds.
But in the end, she only heard Fu Mingze's clear voice, which sounded solemnly again: "Is it okay?"
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