Bai Shuang is now enjoying running around more and more. Perhaps it's because she can occasionally enter the space to nourish herself, but Bai Shuang's injured leg is much more flexible than before, and it no longer hinders her from running.
Every time Song Yan went to deliver food, Bai Shuang would go for a stroll along with him.
As soon as Song Yan's meals were delivered, a large crowd would gather around. From Wang Wenjuan's family, Cheng Yousuo's family, the educated youth, and now Pan Bo and Shen Hanyang.
Shen Hanyang is pregnant, but pregnant women these days aren't as delicate. Her main job is recording work points; although the group leader helps, she still has to work in the fields. Pan Bo is a strong laborer and must work. Grandma Wang can cook lunch for them, but delivering the meals is a problem.
When Song Yan found out, he brought it over as well.
Song Yan only had to deliver meals to the fields; he didn't have to do any work. Many people were envious.
Take Sun Lan, for example, who had been educated in the commune for a few days. She was caught in the busy wheat harvest season; otherwise, she would have needed a few more days of education. But because of this, she became much more obedient. Every time she saw Ji Xiaochun, she wanted to strangle her. Because her days of being waited on hand and foot at home were over.
Besides, how much work can that little brat Xiaochun do? Eight work points in half a day. It's infuriating!
Ji Xiaochun came with Song Yan every day to deliver meals, just hanging around these people. Sun Lan wanted to ask Ji Xiaochun to go back and help with the cooking, but she didn't have the guts. Behind her back, she encouraged Ji Dagang to go find Xiaochun; even if she couldn't cook, she could at least ask for a few eggs!
Sun Lan heard that Ji Xiaochun was helping the educated youth raise chickens.
How did Xiaochun separate from her family and arrive at the educated youth settlement? Since Xiaochun cooked for them, she couldn't help the educated youth anymore. Would the educated youth allow that? Would the brigade leader allow it?
In just seven or eight days, Ji Dagang found life unbearable. Almost no one in the village paid him any attention. Back home, Sun Lan's cooking was haphazard. While everyone else tried to eat something better while working, Sun Lan simply boiled vegetables in plain water. There wasn't a drop of oil in them, and even though the two chickens were laying eggs, not a single one was visible.
Either Sun Lan doesn't cook and waits for him to come home and do it.
Nowadays, men are practically doing the work of two people. Who has the energy to cook when they get home?
last year…
Ji Dagang was reluctant to think about it; he felt guilty.
For example, do people like Aunt Wei and Cheng Xiuyun not want to compare themselves to Song Yan? They really do, but they don't dare.
Who are the families Song Yan is helping? The militia captain, the women's director, and the accountant—the entire leadership team of the brigade is practically there. Anyone who tries to outdo Song Yan is just offending them.
Besides, who has Song Yan's resources? Even if he doesn't come to earn work points during the wheat harvest, he still earns a lot throughout the year. Moreover, his husband sends money back every month.
This month there's an extra amount; they said it's for her to pay for raising the dog.
There's no way to compare people.
…
The hot summers in the north are short-lived; the temperature drops by the time the wheat is harvested, but it's still very hot at midday. Bai Shuang chuckled, sticking out her big tongue.
After finishing his meal, Chang Xiaohu sat down by the ground and hung a woven straw cricket on Bai Shuang's collar. "Take it home carefully! If you damage it, I won't groom you tonight," Chang Xiaohu threatened Bai Shuang in a serious tone.
Wheat straw… How could Song Yan forget about it? Wheat straw is also a weaving material.
When Song Yan got back, he went to the threshing ground and cut a bundle of wheat straw. In one afternoon, he wove two fans out of the straw.
One is a round fan, the other a heart-shaped fan. They're not very big, only about 20 centimeters in diameter. The straw is quite soft; if it were larger, the fan wouldn't be easy to use. Moreover, the fans are more for decoration than practical use.
I'm not letting my mother-in-law go to the threshing ground tomorrow. She can earn two work points by doing odd jobs there during the wheat harvest…
Song Yan got up early and went to the county.
Director Liu looked at the small fan in Song Yan's hand.
How is she so clever? This little thing is really cute. You can use it to fan yourself, or just display it nicely.
Song Yan was in a hurry and did not weave any patterns on the fan.
Fans can come in many styles.
Such a product is impractical in rural areas, but it might find some buyers in the county. In the city, there would likely be quite a few people willing to purchase it.
Director Liu said at the time that he wanted the product, but not many. She asked Song Yan to make several finished products and send over a few samples so she could take them to the higher-level supply and marketing cooperative for a look.
That's fine. If you have silk thread, it will look even prettier with tassels on it.
If they need silk thread, that's no problem for the director of the supply and marketing cooperative. Director Liu said he'd get it in a few days and have someone take it to Qingshan Brigade…
Song Yan came, so of course he had to go see Han Yu. Han Yu's belly was already showing. She was especially happy that Song Yan came to see her because every time he came, he would bring her delicious food, and the food was different from what you could buy outside.
Han Yu felt embarrassed. She wasn't a child anymore, so why was she so greedy? The plum tea that Song Yan gave her last time was so delicious.
Song Yan knew she liked plum tea, so he said he'd ask her for some more next time he mailed a letter to a friend in the south. The plum tea Song Yan brought was suitable for pregnant women, so he assured her it was safe to drink…
When Song Yan rushed back to the brigade, it was just time to deliver the meals. Song Yan took two younger children and an older child with him to deliver the meals.
After a short rest at noon, several observant people noticed that Li Yuanzhao, Song Yan, Pan Bo, and Huang Guoqing were nowhere to be seen, and the team leader hadn't been wandering around the fields all afternoon.
Several educated youths took a pile of wheat straw to the weaving group in the afternoon to start dyeing it. The wheat straw had a shiny surface, making it difficult to dye. Huang Guoqing and Pan Bo adjusted the dyeing process many times before achieving the desired effect.
The team leader organized the people in the threshing floor to begin cutting the wheat stalks. The requirement was to keep only the intact stalks; the shriveled or broken ones were discarded. The workers asked, "What are we going to do with these?"
Captain Wu: "Just do what I tell you to do, stop talking so much nonsense."
Also, no matter how close the relative, if they're from another village or outside the brigade, they must keep quiet. If I find anyone talking too much, I'll deduct their work points.
Captain Wu was always respected, and anyone could chop wheat straw. Even elderly people who couldn't work in the fields brought their seven- or eight-year-old children to help. Every extra work point was a bonus.
Director Liu was efficient; the silk thread arrived at the commune the following afternoon. When Song Yan took it back, he found the quality to be quite good.
Song Yan worked late into the night and made several tassels, two of which were even braided with peace knots.
When my family saw the sample fan this morning, they all exclaimed in delight, "It's so beautiful!" The pattern on the fan surface isn't complicated, but the different colors on the handle also create a decorative effect, and then there's the tassel...
Jiang Xiaoxiao: How is your head structured?
Aunt Wei: Look how lucky my son is! Where can you find such a skillful wife?
Chang Xiaohu, Wei An, and Wei Ping all wanted one…
Unsurprisingly, Director Liu liked it very much and told Song Yan to wait for news.
After Captain Wu found out, he was relieved and let everyone chop the wheat stalks vigorously.
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