Chapter 101
Xia Juhua didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "What I said doesn't count. I just thought that after such a long drought, it's time for some rain."
"Yes, yes, yes," Li Daniu echoed, "I think it's time to snow, too."
Okay, you can say whatever you want. Xia Juhua took advantage of the fact that Li Daniu was immersed in the thought of snowing soon and could finally continue walking towards the brigade headquarters.
Unfortunately, she was destined not to reach the brigade headquarters smoothly today. On the way, she was stopped by Team 5 who was waiting for her: "Team leader, are you going to the brigade headquarters?" Team leader 5 greeted Xia Juhua with a big smile on his face.
Xia Juhua was thinking, Li Daniu knew that Liu Zhiquan went to the fourth team to collect vermicelli, and was seen by Li Daniu when he passed by the small village. How did the fifth team leader know this?
"Captain, are you free today? Would you like to come to our production team? The old people in our production team are very grateful to you." Captain Five did not mention anything that Xia Juhua had not figured out, and asked Xia Juhua to go to their production team to listen to the old people singing her praises.
Seeing that Xia Juhua was unmoved, the captain of the fifth team, like Li Daniu, recounted the situation of the fifth team implementing Xia Juhua's suggestions one by one. In short, all the ideas proposed by Xia Juhua were implemented by the fifth team, and all the credit for doing so was attributed to Xia Juhua:
"Now, not only the old people and women with children are grateful to you, but also their families. Everyone says that it is a blessing for the entire Pingan Village Brigade to have a leader like you. We will definitely live a good life together."
Xia Juhua looked at the fifth team leader with a half-smile, as if she was looking at him but also as if she was looking at something else through him. The fifth team leader felt uncomfortable. Xia Juhua pointed to the road leading to the brigade and said, "Look, is that a tractor?"
"Tractor?" Captain Five thought Xia Juhua was going to talk to him about something, but she actually mentioned the tractor. If he hadn't asked Xia Juhua for a favor, Captain Five would have said: We know you became the captain for the tractor, but you don't have to talk about it every day.
But when I looked back, I saw two tractors that were kicking up a trail of yellow soil, approaching the brigade headquarters from the direction of the commune. I couldn't see clearly the person sitting in the co-pilot's seat of the first tractor, but I could guess that it was the leader of the commune - how could a person who was not a leader sit in the co-pilot's seat?
Xia Juhua said happily to the fifth team leader, "Quick, go and inform the four production team leaders to come to the brigade headquarters to welcome Director Zhang of the Commune Revolutionary Committee. No, also inform the members who have not gone to the fields, and let those who can come to the brigade headquarters come, so that everyone can welcome our modern agricultural machinery and equipment together."
Although he was confused about the terms such as agricultural modernization and mechanical equipment that Xia Juhua mentioned, Captain Five could see that Xia Juhua was really happy. So why didn't he follow her instructions?
He shouted to the people who were shaving stubble in the field, "Hurry up and go to the brigade headquarters to welcome modern agricultural machinery and equipment." He was about to run to another production team. After running a few steps, he felt something was wrong and stopped.
He turned around and greeted the confused members: "Niu Hongqi, go to Xiaozhuangtou and tell Captain Li that our brigade's modern agricultural machinery and equipment has arrived, and ask him to bring the members to the brigade headquarters to welcome them."
"Sun Erniu, you go to Team Three."
"Lee Jae-ri, you go to Team 4."
"I've made it clear, it was the captain who asked them to go through. The more people, the better, and the faster, the better." Seeing that the two men still didn't move, the fifth captain became anxious: "Hurry up, what are you all standing there for? If you're late, the captain's welcome party will be over and your work points will be deducted."
"I, of course I will go to Ping'an Village in person. Can you explain it clearly?" After saying that, the fifth team leader smiled at Xia Juhua who was stunned and said, "Team leader, you should go to the team headquarters quickly, otherwise the commune leaders will complain that you are late and what will happen if we don't give the machinery and equipment to our team."
Xia Juhua was stunned and walked towards the brigade headquarters in a daze. On the way, she remembered Captain Niu's evaluation of Captain Five and smiled: It's true that you go where the wind is stronger. Look at how this matter was handled today. It was both labor-saving and focused. If it were Li Daniu, he would definitely not be able to do it as well as Captain Five.
Seeing the tractor getting closer and closer to the brigade headquarters, Xia Juhua didn't think too much and walked for a while, but still let the tractor stop at the entrance of the brigade headquarters before her. Director Zhang, who got off the co-pilot seat, looked at Xia Juhua with a red face and laughed:
"Captain Xia, do you come to the brigade headquarters at this time every day? If you work like this, I won't trust you to hand over the Ping'an Village Brigade to you."
Xia Juhua calmed her breathing and smiled nonchalantly: "If the leader thinks I'm not doing a good job, then let Captain Li continue to do it."
Li Changshun, who was already standing next to Director Zhang, glared at Xia Juhua unhappily and said, "You wish. Why are you late again today? If you don't come again, I will have someone drive the tractor back to Xiaozhuangtou."
"Captain, we can't do this." Xia Juhua still called Li Changshun as before: "We agreed at the time that Ping'an Village would keep one tractor."
"Why does Ping'an Village only have one machine left for each production team?" The members of Team 5 were the closest to the brigade headquarters and arrived the fastest, so they followed Xia Juhua closely. Just as they heard her words, someone muttered in a low voice.
Li Changshun glared at the person who spoke - he had been the team leader for decades, and his prestige among the members could not be wiped out just by not being the team leader. The man immediately shut up and retracted his neck, wishing he could squat down and let the person in front of him block him.
Li Changshun was satisfied, but he still looked at the members of the fifth team and said, "These two tractors were allocated to our Ping'anzhuang team on a priority basis because Captain Xia led the people of Ping'anzhuang to work hard on a trial basis. Otherwise, why didn't the county give them to other teams but only to Ping'anzhuang?" So if the Ping'anzhuang production team wanted to keep one, there was nothing wrong with that.
"Captain Xia is now the captain of the entire Ping'an Village team." A fearless person from Team Five said this, and refused to back down even if Li Changshun glared at him.
Just kidding, they have seen how much effort Pingan Village saved in farming this year. Now that the team finally has a tractor, if they have two, they can share them and it will be their turn in a few days. But if Pingan Village keeps one, it will become a tractor shared by four other production teams. When will it be their turn to use it?
So Xia Juhua had to understand that she was no longer the production captain of Ping'an Village, but the captain of all of them. She not only had to take charge of Ping'an Village, but also their five teams.
Director Zhang smiled at the angry Li Changshun and the calm Xia Juhua, stroking the tractor that was still running. Well, the tractor head was quite warm in the winter, just right for warming hands.
He didn't say anything. Li Changshun wanted to say something, but Xia Juhua pulled him aside and said, "Captain, we have to discuss the rules for using the tractor. We have to decide on the tractor operator today. Our Zhishuang is one, who do you think is suitable for the other one?"
Li Changshun had just glared at the members of Team 5 because he was afraid that they would piss off Xia Juhua. Now that he saw that Xia Juhua didn't take it seriously, he naturally didn't dwell on what the members of Team 5 said. He frowned, thought for a while, and said:
"In the past, if a production team wanted to use a tractor, the brigade would help apply to the commune's agricultural machinery station, and the station would send both the tractor and the tractor operator. The members of the commune were afraid to even touch it, so where could they find a tractor operator now?"
Xia Juhua said, "The tractor operator cannot be too old, as he sometimes has to help with the lifting and rigging. He also has to be able to read. After all, he has never touched this baby before, so he will learn quickly if he can read."
She said something and Li Changshun nodded. She said something again and Li Changshun nodded again. "Okay, tell me who you have chosen. If any production team is troublesome, I will punish them."
The old man is still so majestic. Xia Juhua looked at Li Changshun with admiration, and returned to Director Zhang with him: "Director, thank you for sending us the tractor. It's really troublesome for you, and it has delayed your work."
Isn't it a little late for you to say this now? Shouldn't you have said this when you first met? Director Zhang looked at Xia Juhua, who smiled sincerely, and always felt that there was something else behind her smile.
Sure enough, Xia Juhua did not invite the leader into the brigade headquarters to drink water, but let him stand outside the brigade headquarters, watching the members of each production team, led by their respective team leaders, hurriedly running towards the brigade headquarters.
"Director Zhang, look how enthusiastic everyone is about embracing agricultural modernization." Xia Juhua exclaimed to Director Zhang.
Director Zhang felt even more strange, and looked at the crowd approaching without saying anything. Li Changshun also heard something was wrong, and looked at Xia Juhua, who said calmly, "It's a pity that there are too few tractors, which has hindered the enthusiasm of the members to modernize agriculture."
"Comrade Xia Juhua," Director Zhang came to his senses, "With your level of ideological awareness and theoretical knowledge, it's a bit unfair for you to be just a team leader. How about I suggest to the county revolutionary committee that you come to work in the commune?"
"Haha," Xia Juhua laughed awkwardly but politely, "I still feel that I am not up to the task of the Ping'an Village Brigade. As for the work of the commune, you should take care of it, Director."
Li Changshun couldn't listen any more. Director Zhang said he wanted you to work in the commune. Did he want you to be the director of the commune's revolutionary committee? He didn't want to listen to Xia Juhua's nonsense anymore. He waved to the captains who were looking at the tractors curiously and asked them to come and see Director Zhang:
“快來，都來感謝張主任，替我們送來了……”李長順把剛才聽到的兩個詞忘了，五隊長可記得牢牢的，接話說：“送來了農業現代化的機械設備。”
“對，就是給我們送來了農業現代化。”李長順只記住了一個詞，不吝啬的展示出來。
五個生産隊長把張主任圍住了，一起感謝他。張主任有些無奈的叫了一聲“李叔”，才算把這股子熱情給壓下去了。可社員們聽不到，他們跟幾個生産隊長一樣，眼睛稀罕的看着兩臺拖拉機，七嘴八舌的議論着這兩臺機器，能給平安莊大隊的農業生産帶來啥樣的變化。
“好啦，”李長順看着一臉無奈的張主任，總算揚高了聲調，對着圍攏過來的社員們高聲說：“張主任給我們帶來了縣領導的溫暖，也帶來了平安莊大隊農業生産的新氣象，同志們，我們應不應該感謝張主任，感謝縣革委會的領導，感謝偉大的集體？”
“應該——”
“感謝張主任，感謝縣革委會領導，感謝偉大的集體——”大隊貧農主任孫慶林揮動着胳膊喊起了口號。
社員們一個個擡起胳膊，跟着喊：“感謝張主任，感謝縣革委會領導，感謝偉大的集體——”
經歷過瘋狂年代洗禮的人們，對于喊口號并汪陌生，大家的聲音又整齊又響亮，夏菊花聽到耳裏竟覺得有些親切，一邊跟着揮舞胳膊，一邊跟着高聲喊，臉上露出歡喜的笑容。
張主任幾次擡起雙手用力往下按，才算把鋪天蓋地的口號聲壓下去了：“同志們，相信大家都看到了，我們集體的形勢一片大好，農業生産也一步一個臺階。眼前我們是有一些困難，可我相信困難都是暫時的，平安莊大隊的農業生産，有這兩臺機械設備的加入，會越來越好。”
盡管新名詞有些拗口，張主任還是覺得說起來确實帶勁，不介意跟平安莊大隊的人一樣稱呼兩臺拖拉機。
社員們稀罕夠了拖拉機，又被各生産隊的幹部帶回去該刨茬子刨茬子，該翻地翻地去了，隊長們簇擁着張主任來到了大隊部。
“夏大隊長，你要的拖拉機我也送來了，把下一步平安莊大隊的生産安排，跟我說說吧。”張主任收起在社員們面前的笑容，嚴肅的要求夏菊花向自己彙報工作。
“我是這麽想的，”夏菊花有理有據的說：“眼看着地要上凍了，各生産隊得加緊把茬子刨完，把地平整出來。現在有了拖拉機，翻地大家都可以省點兒勁，地攏可以……”說得頭頭是道，連兩臺剛送來的拖拉機也沒放過。
聽着她一項接一項說着各生産隊該做什麽，除了陳秋生外，另外四個生産隊長臉上都露出不可思議的表情：夏菊花也就到自己生産隊去了一趟，咋對生産隊下一步該做啥這麽熟悉呢？
李長順心裏想的是，夏菊花不愧被人叫夏小夥，你看對地裏的事兒說的多明白，安排的也細，各生産隊按照她說的幹，現在的活計不太累，來年春耕的時候也不會太趕。
張主任則邊聽邊不時的往自己剛掏出來的小本上記着，等夏菊花說完了才問：“你們幾個生産隊長有啥補充的沒有？”
幾個生産隊長都搖頭，哪怕剛才夏菊花說的跟他們自己安排有些沖突，可一聽就知道夏菊花的安排更合理，那他們為啥不按夏菊花說的辦？！
“既然大家都沒補充的，我就說兩句。”張主任的表情更嚴肅了：“今年雨水少，收成不好大家幹勁不高，這是客觀事實，我就不強調了。”
“可是我要強調一點，那就是縣裏給平安莊大隊配備了拖拉機，那就要讓它們在生産中真正發揮作用。剛才夏大隊長提的兩點很好，一是各生産隊輪流使用拖拉機的時候，要注意拖拉機手的休息時間，不能光為了完成生産任務，就讓拖拉機手疲勞駕駛。”夏菊花是從哪兒聽來這麽多詞，說起來太拗口了，張主任有些埋怨的看了夏菊花一眼。
被看的夏菊花茫然回視，想提醒張主任他還有一點沒說呢。
張主任調整情緒調整的很快，接着說：“另外一點就是渠還要修，不光要修還要修好。這即是一項生産任務，也是一項光榮的政治任務，哪個生産隊的渠修的不合格，整個平安莊大隊都要跟着返工。”
這是不是有點兒不講理了？夏菊花看向張主任的眼神變了，張主任一點兒也不心虛的看着夏菊花說：“別的大隊沒有拖拉機都能修好渠，平安莊大隊有了現代化設備，只能修的比別的大隊更好，才能體現現代化的優勢……”
行吧，好話賴話都讓你說了。夏菊花見李長順已經擡起手，連忙率先拍起了巴掌，把話還沒說完的張主任架到半空中下不來也上不去。
帶着這股怨氣，張主任決定聽李長順的安排，自己帶着兩位拖拉機手，一定要到平安莊夏菊花家吃上一頓中午飯——都說夏菊花的手藝好，不嘗嘗他咋知道不是吹出來的。
以前別人還說夏菊花沉默寡言，不愛出頭不惹是非呢，現在你看看，有這麽沉默寡言不惹是非的人嗎？！
他們是坐着一輛拖拉機到平安莊的，因為李長順說了，夏菊花有言在先，要留一臺拖拉機在平安莊，那大隊就不能言而無信，幹脆直接把拖拉機開到平安莊得了。
“李哥、趙哥，你們來啦。”劉志雙看到開拖拉機的人，笑着打起了招呼，氣的李長順給了他一下子：“混小子，難怪你娘說你老氣她呢，沒個眼力見。沒看到張主任嗎，還不快跟張主任打招呼。”
劉志雙搓了下手，不好意思的叫了一聲：“張主任。”又說：“主任辛苦了，快進屋坐吧，我去給你們倒水。”說到最後，聲音已經平穩，拿起暖壺的手也穩穩當當的滴水不落。
“夏大隊長，你兒子不錯。”張主任笑着接過劉志雙遞過來的杯子，稱贊了一句。
夏菊花看了滿臉放光的劉志雙一眼，笑了笑沒說啥，那邊劉志雙已經把水遞到了剛才被他稱為李哥和趙哥的人手裏，小聲跟人說着什麽。
看來他說跟農機站的人認識是真的，夏菊花有點兒放心讓他當拖拉機手了。
張主任也看到這個情況，問：“小趙，你們跟小劉認識呀？”
小趙點點頭：“以前他跟小薛去過幾次農機站，挺好學的，拖拉機簡單的小毛病他都會擺弄。”
呵，這小趙跟劉志雙的關系還真不賴，看來任何時候吃吃喝喝都能建立感情呀。夏菊花似笑非笑的看了劉志雙一眼，張主任那邊已經說了：“夏大隊長，既然你兒子會擺弄拖拉機，正好讓他當個拖拉機手，多好。”
夏菊花點頭說：“本來我也打算讓他當個拖拉機手——薛技術員在的時候，他沒少給薛技術員打下手，不光拖拉機，翻地的犁他也會用，還有咋用拖拉機澆地他也會。就是另一個人不好選。四個生産隊呢，哪個生産隊都得想選自己生産隊的人。”
李長順眼睛一立：“你自己選，別聽他們瞎叨叨，你選誰就是誰。”
老同志，你這幾天态度這麽好，有點兒讓人接受不了知道不？夏菊花為難的看了張主任一眼，李長順以為她怕張主任反感，替她向張主任解釋：
“張主任，拖拉機這麽金貴的東西，可得有個好人伺候。那人不象志雙似的早就會擺弄，是不是得跟志雙學？所以得讓夏大隊長确定人選，省得兩個人之間有啥不好說的。”
夏菊花見李長順跟張主任說話，自己就要去廚房看看咋做這頓飯。張主任在背後說：“我可聽說了，你們家的酸辣粉做的好吃，今天中午咱們就吃酸辣粉，做別的我們也不吃。”
說是這麽說，同樣叫酸辣粉，湯頭也是千差萬別。人家張主任給平安莊大隊送來了兩臺拖拉機，夏菊花咋也不好意思給人家用開水調酸辣粉兒不是？
這時候拖拉機的作用就發揮出來了，劉志雙被夏菊花安排去公社買肉。只見他搖動幾下把拖拉機發動着，自己往駕駛座上一坐，一張臉上寫滿了得意，見小滿站在自己家門口看着他，還向小滿招手：“小滿，走，帶你上公社去。”
“我也去，我也去。”劉保國自從劉志雙出屋，就一直跟着他，現在聽說他要去公社，馬上兩眼放光的拉住劉志雙的褲角：“二叔，我也去。”
劉志雙更得意的向小滿招手：“來，幫我抱着保國。”
小滿的臉紅得漫延到了耳根，上前不是不上前又有點兒舍不得這個機會。紅玲正好站在她身後，推了小滿一把：“快去吧。”推完小滿，自己還大聲問：“二哥，我也去行不行？”
Knowing that Xiaoman was shy, Liu Zhishuang generously gestured to Hongling to get on the tractor: "I've already told you, I'll come back after I've bought the things. If you wander around, I'll throw you to the commune and you'll have to walk back by yourself."