Chapter 108

Qi Weidong now runs to Ping'anzhuang to collect vermicelli as soon as the autumn harvest is over. He is almost like half of the people in Ping'anzhuang. Therefore, Chen Qiu Sheng, the production team leader, is very familiar with him. Zhang Cuiping and other people in charge of the mat-making team will directly ask Qi Weidong if they want to buy something, and they get along very well.

So when Xia Juhua heard that Zhang Cuiping wanted to mobilize the Chen family to raise chickens and sell eggs, the first thing she thought of was that Qi Weidong had come up with this idea. Then she looked at Chen Qiusheng's expression and knew that he had the same idea as her.

However, the current policy has been somewhat turning a blind eye to farmers secretly engaging in side businesses at home, so if Xia Juhua thinks that it is really Qi Weidong's idea, it is not a bad idea.

"If we want to raise more, then we can raise more." Xia Juhua said to Chen Qiusheng nonchalantly, "From the mats and baskets sold by our production team, can't you see that? Everyone wants to save trouble. Who wants to go to several places when they can collect them in one place? But if we want to raise more, every family in the production team should raise two more. If something really happens, we can have an excuse to our superiors."

"What's your excuse?" You are going to lead the entire production team to violate the policy, and you still have an excuse. Chen Qiu Sheng felt that only a great man like their captain could come up with such an idea.

"Of course, the Ping'an Village production team wants to continue to expand agricultural and sideline production to increase member and collective income. However, the production team does not have enough manpower and space, so it can only let members raise chickens on behalf of the production team. This will increase collective income and mobilize the enthusiasm of those members who can no longer do heavy work and can only stay at home to take care of their elderly."

No wonder Zhang Cuiping was so confident yesterday and asked to raise more chickens. Chen Qiusheng now suspected that it was not Qi Weidong but Xia Juhua who gave his wife the idea, otherwise how could his wife be so sure?!

"But don't raise too many children at home. Let's see how things turn out." Xia Juhua still reminded Chen Qiusheng: "You have to ask Cuiping and the others to be careful when they talk in the yard. After all, it won't just be people from Ping'an Manor who are here anymore."

"Well," Chen Qiusheng felt relieved when he saw Xia Juhua's support. He made up his mind and gave Xia Juhua a number: "Then let's raise ten each family and give it a try."

Xia Juhua was amused by him: "You got beaten up, and your family was allowed to raise five or six more chickens. It seems Cuiping still hasn't dealt with you well."

Chen Qiusheng looked at Xia Juhua with some embarrassment, and then he heard their captain say, "We don't have much experience in the first year, so each family should raise 30 to try it out. If anyone feels that it's too many and wants to raise fewer, that's fine."

Xia Juhua's last request was totally unnecessary. When the people of Ping'an Village heard that she agreed to let them raise more chickens, they were all so happy that they couldn't stop smiling. They were all thinking that if they raised a good number of chickens this time, they might be able to raise a few more next time. No one even thought about raising fewer chickens.

Of course, the communication of the matter was the same as that of the editing and leaking of powder. It was still Master Wu who notified the Liu family, Zhang Cuiping who notified the Chen family, and Chang Xiancao who notified the miscellaneous families. There was no need for the production team to hold a collective meeting to mobilize people - the people recruited from other teams were sitting in the yard, so what if they accidentally heard it?

The captain has already said that this matter cannot be done with fanfare, so of course they have to gain the benefits quietly.

It is not yet the time for hens to brood, and buying chicks will be a matter for the beginning of next spring. The most urgent task for Ping An Zhuang is to weave the mats and filter the flour.

That's right, even though Ping'anzhuang Brigade didn't plant many sweet potatoes this year, they still have some vermicelli to save: the grain stations in various communes have almost harvested all the public grain, and they all know that vermicelli is easier to store than raw sweet potatoes, and can be sold as food after the spring of next year. So they have already found Ping'anzhuang Brigade and asked them to help them save the vermicelli.

Even those brigades from other places that planted more sweet potatoes came to Ping'anzhuang Brigade and wanted them to help them with the leaching of sweet potatoes. However, they were ruthlessly rejected by the people from Ping'anzhuang Brigade: We get paid processing fees for helping to leaching sweet potatoes for various grain stations, but should we charge them for leaching sweet potatoes for other brigades?

Of course, some brigades were dissatisfied with Ping'anzhuang and even went to the commune to complain, saying that Xia Juhua and the Ping'anzhuang Brigade did not help their class brothers, but only cared about eating their own food, and watched their sweet potatoes rot in the cellar without even helping.

Director Zhang didn't even ask Xia Juhua to go to the commune for a confrontation. He directly told their respective teams back: "The Ping'anzhuang Brigade helped the grain station leak flour. That was a political task, related to the food security of each grain station. They have to work overtime to leak all the sweet potatoes, so they don't have the time to help you. Besides, didn't some people from your brigade go to Ping'anzhuang to learn how to leak flour? Did they not teach you or did they not teach you carefully?" You just want others to work for you for free. How can you be so shameless?

Xia Juhua knew that Director Zhang had scolded the other team leaders, so she ran to the commune to thank him: "Director Zhang, it's not that our Ping'anzhuang team doesn't want to help. You know that a commune grain station has hundreds of thousands of kilograms of sweet potatoes. We members can't finish them even if we work from dawn to dusk."

Director Zhang thought it was a little funny. Was it worth her making a special trip for such a small matter? He couldn't help but be a little wary. Based on his experience of dealing with Xia Juhua, this person would not come to visit for no reason.

Sure enough, Xia Juhua was still the same Xia Juhua. She smiled and said to Director Zhang: "Director, Technician Xue wrote to me and said that there is a seed-sowing machine that is especially suitable for us to grow wheat. But the road is too far, so he can't send the finished product to me. But Technician Xue said that if our agricultural machinery station has the drawings, we can make the product. He has already mailed the drawings to me."

Director Zhang nodded in understanding and said coolly: "Then let the Agricultural Machinery Station do it for you."

Xia Juhua looked at Director Zhang, then at the documents on the desk, and then at Director Zhang again. Seeing that he had no intention of giving her a chance, she had no choice but to speak up: "Director, you see, I'm just a rural woman, and I don't know how to deal with people. How can I dare to go to a place as big as the Agricultural Machinery Station? They won't give me face, right?"

Are you ready? A rural woman like you who doesn't know how to deal with people, wouldn't it be a headache if there were two more of them? Director Zhang looked at Xia Juhua unhappily, picked up the phone and dialed out. After a brief conversation with the person on the other end of the phone, Director Zhang put down the phone and looked at Xia Juhua intently.

Only when Xia Juhua felt nervous did Director Zhang sneer and say, "It's not like the Agricultural Machinery Station is eating your fried peanuts for free. What's wrong with you frying some for them?" No wonder she didn't dare to go to the Agricultural Machinery Station but came to cause trouble for him.

Xia Juhua replied with a righteous look on her face: "Director, you also know that the Agricultural Machinery Station has helped our Ping'an Village Brigade a lot. I said I would fry peanuts for them for free, but the stationmaster insisted on paying me. How could I accept their money? I might as well say that I don't have time to fry peanuts."

Director Zhang was convinced by Xia Juhua for coming up with such an excuse, but he still gave her a reassurance: "The Ping'an Village Brigade can maintain such a good relationship with several units because of your efforts. Both I and Deputy Director Qi know this in our hearts."

"So don't worry, fire the person if necessary and collect the money if necessary. No matter who frames you, Deputy Director Qi and I will be at the forefront."

Xia Juhua, feeling reassured, smiled shyly: "Then I will take over the job at the Agricultural Machinery Station?"

Director Zhang waved his hands at her impatiently: "Go quickly, they are waiting for you over there."

Xia Juhua turned around and left. When she reached the door, she remembered something and turned back to ask, "Director, do you know where the soldiers are recruited this year?" During the meeting, only the recruitment targets were communicated to each brigade, but no specific service was given. Xia Juhua still wanted to ask clearly, because Liu Zhijun was determined to join the army, and he came to her several times.

Director Zhang was puzzled when she asked this: "Your two sons are already over the age limit, why are you asking this?"

Xia Juhua sighed and said, "My nephew really wants to join the army, so I just asked."

Director Zhang didn't care and told her that the Northwest Military Region was recruiting soldiers. Xia Juhua felt relieved and delivered the drawings sent by Technician Xue to the Agricultural Machinery Station. She also took the opportunity to accept the task of frying 500 kilograms of peanuts.

"Auntie Xia, I'll take you home." Xiao Zhao recognized that it was Xia Juhua who walked to the door, and hurriedly called her to stop, insisting on taking her back to Ping'an Village. Even though Xia Juhua said that her bicycle was parked at the door, he insisted.

Since everyone was so enthusiastic, Xia Juhua naturally would not refuse. She put her bicycle in the tractor and sat in the passenger seat. She chatted with Xiao Zhao all the way and soon saw the shadow of Ping An Zhuang.

"Auntie, your niece is an accountant?" Xiao Zhao suddenly asked this question, which stunned Xia Juhua. It took her a while to realize that he was talking about Hong Ling.

The big and small guys suddenly asked about the little girl. Xia Juhua couldn't help but be alert: "Well, she is still a prostitute, but I don't know how long she can last. Her mother is going crazy because of her partner."

It was no longer Xia Juhua's principle to quietly give in after being beaten passively. She now believed in taking the initiative, so she spoke without any pressure.

Xiao Zhao then asked, "Is their family's condition very high? Why haven't they found anyone after more than a year?"

Xia Juhua glanced at Xiao Zhao, thought for a moment and then said, "It's not that our family is well off, it's that Hongling wants to find someone who is educated and capable." After saying this, she still looked at Xiao Zhao out of the corner of her eye.

Although Xiao Zhao's eyes were fixed on the road, his face was getting redder and redder. Xia Juhua had an idea in mind and asked Xiao Zhao where he was from, how many people there were in the family, what they did, why he hadn't found a wife at such an age, whether his family was anxious or urged him to get married...

前頭的話小趙都一五一十的說了，最後兩個問題就有些吱吱唔唔起來。夏菊花也不追問，仿佛真的只是拉家常。等她開口提醒，小趙才發現自己差點開過了，忙把車頭一偏，才算是把夏菊花送到家。

人都來了，當然得吃了飯再走，夏菊花心疼小滿懷孕行動不便，直接把紅玲找來讓她幫着二嫂做飯，結果紅玲一看小趙，臉騰的一下就紅了。

飯好做，吃得也快，等吃完飯要送人就是個問題。人家小趙東拉西扯的不提走的事，難道夏菊花還能開口攆人？只好對紅玲說：“天也不早了，你忙活半天了，先回去歇着吧。要不你娘該不放心了。”

紅玲慢吞吞往門口走，小趙有點兒急，偏偏沒眼色的劉志雙問他：“趙哥，上回你說有相中的了，找人提親沒呀，結果咋樣？”

剛走到門口的紅玲猛一轉身，見夏菊花不解的看她，意識到自己失态，匆匆轉頭就走。

“紅玲！”小趙喊了一聲，沒把人叫住，求救一樣看了夏菊花一眼，人家正逗着樂樂學說話呢，根本連眼角都不夾他。急得小趙站起身來，顧不得別人咋開，追出去了。

一走就是大半個小時才回來，嘴角還帶着點兒笑，顯然心情不錯。

劉志雙看他一眼，問：“說明白了？”

小趙沖他點點頭，才向夏菊花說：“嬸子，以前我不知道紅玲是咋想的，一直不敢跟你們說，所以，我真不是有意隐瞞……”

夏菊花特別淡定的說：“這事兒你得跟紅玲娘說去，我可做不了紅玲的主。”說着就讓劉志雙帶着小趙，去老院找李大丫，順便讓他跟安寶玲說，這次招兵的是西北軍區，離他們平德可隔着大半個中國呢。

劉志雙很快就回來了，不過臉色有些古怪。夏菊花自然要問一句，劉志雙也不瞞着親娘：“娘，我剛才跟三嬸說話的時候，志亮聽見了，跟我說他也想當兵去。”

“志亮想當兵去，他才多大，過了年才十六吧。”還是虛歲，人家招兵都得年滿十八周歲呢。

劉志雙顯然被劉志亮給觸動了：“我和三嬸也都跟他說，他歲數太小人家不能要。可那小子說，他自己爹娘是指望不上了，只能自己奔個前程。可農民除了當兵，還能有啥別的出路。說到後頭都哭了，我心裏挺不得勁的。”

要讓夏菊花說，劉志亮簡直不象是劉四壯和孫桂枝生的，這兩年那兩人在縣城不知道咋樣，劉志亮竟然真跟他當初說的那樣，自己老老實實跟着孫氏帶着劉紅娟過日子。

他的歲數擺在那呢，陳秋生當生産隊長也舍不得真把他當個整勞力使，正好孫氏在豬場就是個擺設，幹脆把劉志亮安排過去給陳路生打下手。

本來只想給一個記工分的理由，可劉志亮天天一起來就跑去先割一筐豬草，等吃完飯就去鏟圈、幫着陳路生喂豬。

稍微有一點空閑，劉志亮就拉着孫氏帶着劉紅娟接着割豬草或是拉紅薯秧，這兩年平安莊大隊豬養那麽肥，再挑剔的人也得說有劉志亮一份功勞。

所有劉志亮做的這些，陳秋生和五爺都看在眼裏，商量後直接給劉志亮一天記八個工分。加上他帶動的孫氏也不得不跟着割豬草，生産隊也給孫氏一天記五個工，算下來竟夠他們三人一年的口糧工分了。

就連劉紅娟，也不知道他是咋說教的，現在沒有以前嘴快看不得人好，每天跟生産隊別的孩子一樣，跟着劉力柱一起上下學，回家還知道幫着她哥割豬草呢。

陳秋生和五爺眼看着劉志亮一個人把孫氏和劉紅娟給扳正了，想着生産隊也不差劉紅娟那點兒，就按筐給她算工分，年年分紅時他們三人也能分一點兒錢。加上劉二壯和劉三壯又不能真不管孫氏，三個人的衣裳是他們包的。

于是那三口人的日子，跟別人家比起來當然差得遠，可想想劉志亮的歲數，就讓人不得不佩服的說一聲，這是一枝爛樹根上滋生出的好枝條。

所以劉志雙才會在劉志亮哭訴之後，覺得心裏不得勁，夏菊花聽後心裏同樣不是滋味。

“不行，他太小了。”就算沒有南面将和白眼狼國的戰争，夏菊花也不會同意劉志亮小小年紀就去當兵。

“大娘。”說曹操曹操到，夏菊花的話音剛落，劉志亮喊人的聲音已經在院門外響起。

劉志雙看了親娘一眼，自己去給劉志亮開門，不一會兒就領着低着頭的劉志亮進來了。

“我說不行。”夏菊花不等劉志亮開口，就把自己的态度亮明了：“你歲數太小，就算是大隊給你報上名，人家招兵的也不會帶你走。”

“大娘，現在我奶和紅娟也知道咋幹活了，我想自己出去闖一闖。再說還有志/軍哥和我一起，我們能相互照應。”劉志亮眼睛還是紅紅的，卻堅強的擡頭跟夏菊花講道理。

夏菊花話就是一頓，看着劉志亮倔強的分辨：“當兵幹嘛非得要求年紀，年紀小的人上戰場也不是不能殺敵人。以前還有紅小鬼呢，我現在比紅小鬼年紀大多了。”

“你想沒想過，要是你走了，你爹娘回來找不着人咋辦？”夏菊花跟劉志亮講不清，集體為啥非得要求當兵的必須滿十八周歲，因為她自己也不是很清楚，只能跟他擺現實問題。

劉志亮就胸有成竹的說：“等我報上名，人家同意帶我走，我就去縣城找他們，跟他們說清楚當兵是我自己願意去的，我奶和紅娟自己也能養活自己。等我掙了津貼，就郵回為讓我奶和紅娟過好日子。就算他們回生産隊了，那錢也不能讓他們拿到手。”

他是把啥都想清楚了，夏菊花還能說啥？只能帶着劉志亮一起去撞那面南牆。

不過夏菊花心裏篤定招兵的人不會帶走劉志亮，讓陳秋生該咋在平安莊選人咋選人，體檢那天她親自帶着二十一個小夥子來到縣武裝部。

沒錯，她打的就是讓招兵人親口回絕劉志亮，卻不浪費平安莊名額的主意——劉志亮有一句話說得沒錯，對于農民來說，有一次當兵的機會十分不容易，總不能因為劉志亮是她侄子，就剝奪了別人的機會。

劉志亮并不覺得夏菊花是在敷衍他，他心裏十分清楚，如果不是他這兩年用勞動洗涮了大家對他們一家人的印象，他連去體檢的機會都沒有。

所以見招兵的人看他皺眉的時候，劉志亮嘴就沒停下：“領導同志，”大娘好象就是這麽跟上頭的人打招呼的：“別看我歲數小，可我革命的決心大，我不怕吃苦也不怕受罪，我就想着保衛國家。”

見招兵人的眉頭并沒有舒展開，劉志亮的眼圈不由泛紅了：“我爹娘都在紅小隊學習班裏，家裏只有我跟奶奶和妹妹，我不是不想養活他們，現在我們生産隊工分值高了，他們自己掙的工分也能換口糧，我要是當了兵有了津貼，還能給他們買布做新衣裳，我可以讓他們過好日子……”

到最後劉志亮都不知道他自己說的是啥了，只覺得要把自己家的情況，和自己的走投無路、前途渺茫都說給領導同志聽，他同情自己了才會帶自己走。

夏菊花他們這些帶隊體檢的大隊幹部，是不能跟進去的，都焦急的站在院子裏等消息。如果自己大隊的小夥子一臉喜氣的出來，他們的心就能放下一分，如果孩子是沉着臉出來甚至一出來就紅了眼圈的，他們還得想着咋安慰一下。

夏菊花比別人心情分外糾結，那是即想讓孩子們多條出路，又擔心他們将來的出路。等見到劉志亮身後還跟着一個穿軍裝的同志，夏菊花心裏的滋味更是別提了。

“同志，真不是我們大隊要給你們增加工作負擔，實在是孩子當兵的決心太大，有裏的實際情況也……”夏菊花做的頭一件事，就是跟人家道歉。

把一個明顯不夠歲數的人帶來體檢，這事兒她辦的是有些不地道，所以先道個歉是必須要做的。

招兵的同志被夏菊花見面就道歉給弄蒙了，連連擺着手說：“你是平安莊大隊的大隊長，也是劉志亮同志的大娘是吧？”

騰的一下，夏菊花的臉紅到了耳朵根，結結巴巴的解釋着：“同志，我真不是因為志亮是我侄子才給他走後門，實在是他決心太大了，我怕傷了他的……”

“你別誤會，我就是想跟你了解一下劉志亮家裏的情況，他說他的爹娘都在紅小隊的學習班，現在紅小隊不是已經解散了嗎，他們咋還留在學習班呢？”

夏菊花還真讓人問住了：“這個我也不清楚，以前進學習班的人，都是紅小隊通知我們才能接回生産隊。我們一直沒得到通知，所以也不了解他們是什麽情況。”

"Then who knows their situation?" the recruiting comrade asked in a friendly manner.

Xia Juhua thought about it for a while before she gritted her teeth and said, "Deputy Director Qi of our County Revolutionary Committee should know."

I'm sorry, Uncle Qi, but now Xia Juhua really can't think of anyone else who can explain the situation of Liu Sizhuang and his wife.

The comrades who were recruiting soldiers had never expected that two ordinary farmers who had entered the Red Team study class would actually be involved in the deputy director of the county revolutionary committee. The look in their eyes when they looked at Liu Zhiliang changed.

Liu Zhiliang once again hoped that the lady in front of him was his biological mother, but it was just a delusion. It made his eyes slowly dim, and his whole body became as soft as if all his bones had been taken out.

Xia Juhua couldn't bear to see a good branch drooping, so she said to the recruiting comrade quickly, "Comrade, wait a moment. I'll go ask Deputy Director Liu Sizhuang and his wife about their current situation. Half an hour, no less than 20 minutes, do you think it's okay?"