Chapter 135
Xia Juhua had made up her mind to be tougher. When she appeared in front of the members of Ping'anzhuang Brigade, she tried to make her face as straight and expressionless as possible. There was a sense of distance in her eyes when she looked at people. She could only say one sentence clearly and would not say a second sentence. This shocked everyone.
The news that the former five captains were taken away by the police spread to everyone in the Ping'an Village Brigade within half a day, and they also knew the reasons why they were taken away.
While was cursing the former five captains for being good-for-nothings, they naturally felt sympathy for Xia Juhua in their hearts and wanted to apologize to her in person. It would be best if they could let Xia Juhua know that they were different from the former five captains and everyone had never thought of reporting Xia Juhua. They didn't want Xia Juhua to think that they were the same kind of people as the former five captains.
Their idea is easy to understand, that is, the current life of Ping'anzhuang Brigade is led by Xia Juhua. If Xia Juhua is hurt by the former five captains and no longer serves as the captain or is not as concerned as before, then who will they follow?
But Xia Juhua was always cold to. No matter who came to complain to her, she would just nod and say, "I understand. Go back and work hard." She didn't say anything else, which made the visitor feel a little embarrassed. He even thought he was being bashful. How could he dare to get close to her and chat and laugh like they usually did when they met?
I didn't dare to approach Xia Juhua, and I felt that I was keeping a distance from her. But everyone knew that Xia Juhua was not to blame for this, and I just hoped that she would be angry for a few days and then go back to her usual gentle way of talking to everyone.
In order to make Xia Juhua calm down sooner, the members subconsciously rushed to do the tasks she arranged for them, and they wanted to do more and better than others, as if this could prove that they were on the same page with Xia Juhua.
Unconsciously, the place where Xia Juhua appeared was the same place where Li Changshun appeared a few years ago. There were obviously quite a few people around, but except for those who greeted her or had something to do, all the members were working hard, so that Xia Juhua would notice that they were the hardest working ones.
Even the former captain of the fifth team who had been detained and released was the same. When he saw Xia Juhua now, he hid behind others and didn't even have the courage to look at her. During those few days in the police station, he got to know the life of the Ping'anzhuang Brigade. It was like heaven, and he couldn't leave such a life.
At first, Xia Juhua was somewhat uncomfortable with it, but gradually she discovered the advantages of doing so - no one talked nonsense in front of her, and no matter who came to her, they only talked about business. People were eager to do the tasks she assigned, and her efficiency increased dramatically.
If efficiency could be improved, the hot and sour noodles could be supplied to the troops one day earlier. After the initial discomfort, Xia Juhua was happy to see it happen.
An unexpected consequence of her getting along with others was that Liu Zhiquan took the initiative to report to the provincial supply and marketing system. Xia Juhua was puzzled: she had brainwashed and tempted her two sons a few days ago, but they still didn't agree. Why did Liu Zhiquan suddenly ask to report now?
When asked about the top, Liu Zhiquan said, "Mom, I know you are disappointed with them. Not only you, but Caifeng and I are disappointed for you. Mom, you have been worried about the brigade's affairs for the past few years, and you have suffered so much. No one knows it better than our family. But they got the benefit, but they want to report you. Are they still human beings?"
"But our ancestors are all in Ping'an Village, so you can't let go for the time being. The superiors and all the members of the brigade will not let you let go. Besides, if you let go, you have to go somewhere, otherwise those people will come to your house every day to bother you. I thought, why don't I go to work in the supply and marketing system in the provincial capital first? The sooner I go, the sooner I can get a foothold. Then I will take you away, and we can stay away from these people, so that we won't be bothered by them."
Is this still her old son who is not very smart? Xia Juhua even suspected that her eldest son was also a person who lived his life again. Fortunately, Liu Zhiquan's next words dispelled Xia Juhua's concerns:
"Mom, don't worry. I will do my best when we get to the provincial capital and won't embarrass you."
And then that was it. There was no further news about how to do it properly or what the result would be. Xia Juhua was relieved instead: this was still her eldest son.
So Xia Juhua quickly asked Liu Zhishuang to buy meat and Wang Caifeng to kill a chicken, so that the whole family could have a meal to celebrate Liu Zhiquan's enlightenment. Although Liu Zhiquan's family didn't think there was anything to celebrate, they were willing to do it to make Xia Juhua happy.
For fear that Liu Zhiquan would go back on his word, Xia Juhua didn't tell anyone the next day and asked Liu Zhishuang to drive the tractor to take Liu Zhiquan to the county town early to catch a bus to report to the provincial capital.
Wang Caifeng had to stay and pack things. She didn't feel anything in the first two days, but when all the things in the house were slowly put into the boxes to be taken away, she began to cry while packing. Finally, she couldn't pack any more and simply went back to her parents' home.
As soon as she entered her mother's yard, Wang Caifeng burst into tears, which scared her mother: "What's going on? Where are Zhiquan, Baoguo and Lele? What wronged you?"
Wang Caifeng cried so hard that she couldn't speak. Her mother had to ask someone to call her father and brothers back from the fields. While they were waiting, Wang Caifeng's crying finally quieted down a little. Her mother asked again, "Did Zhiquan bully you, or did your mother-in-law make you angry?"
"If you ask me, even if Zhiquan said something unpleasant, and your mother-in-law scolded you a few times, you shouldn't take it to heart. Look at our production team, among the girls of your age who are married, whose mother-in-law lives as well as yours? Not to mention anything else, the things you brought back on the second day of the Chinese New Year, weren't they all arranged by your mother-in-law? otherwise we wouldn't have to buy anything for visiting relatives."
It would have been fine if she hadn't mentioned this, but once she did, Wang Caifeng couldn't help but burst into tears: "I also know that my mother-in-law treats me well."
"You know your mother-in-law treats you well, so why are you still complaining to her?" Wang Caifeng's father came in from outside, along with her three brothers and two of their wives.
Her father said with a frown, "What daughter-in-law doesn't get scolded by her mother-in-law? You are the only one who can't stand it? I think your mother-in-law got used to you. When your mother was young, your grandmother got angry and hit her a few times, but she didn't go back to your grandmother's house to complain."
"I, I didn't come back to complain." Wang Caifeng said to her father with sobs, "I just can't bear to leave my mother-in-law."
The whole family was stunned. Why was she reluctant to leave her mother-in-law? Didn't she always live with her mother-in-law? Her mother asked, "Is your mother-in-law trying to make you move out again? I think your mother-in-law is doing this for your own good. You two are young and can make money now, and you don't have to worry about not being able to raise a child. But it's better to move out and be the master of your own house than to live with your mother-in-law."
Wang Caifeng's father thought that his daughter was being unreasonable: "Your mother has taken care of your grandmother for more than 20 years. She can't even straighten her back and dare not breathe. Your mother-in-law wants you to be the head of the family so early. Do you think she is trying to trick you?"
Wang Caifeng's mother was so that she rolled her eyes at him: "You also know that I couldn't even straighten my back all those years, why don't you say something to your mother for me? I don't expect you to be like Zhiquan, fetching water or feeding chickens and sweeping the yard when you get home, and sometimes angry even cooking porridge for Caifeng, so you don't have to say a word to defend me."
After hearing what she said, the three daughters-in-law all curled their lips - the mother-in-law always spoke in a series of ways about the father-in-law, but why did she give a cold shoulder to her sons when they just helped them serve dishes?
Now is not the time to think about this, we need to hear why the sister-in-law returned to her parents' home. Could it be that as they thought, the Liu family looked down on this sister-in-law and sent her back to her parents' home - didn't the sister-in-law's previous sister-in-law divorce her brother-in-law?
Wang Caifeng's sisters-in-law and brothers' wives were more or less gloating over misfortunes. Since Ping'an Village had a mat-weaving group, her life had gotten better and better. Every time she went back to her parents' home, she would wear new clothes and bring more things to her parents' home.
There were some things in there that they had only heard of but never seen before. It was said that her mother-in-law asked her to bring them back. When the girl gave birth to a daughter, she even brought her mother-in-law to Ping'an Manor to take care of her for a full month. It was said that the mother-in-law ate □□ chickens during the confinement period and she didn't even want to eat eggs!
When they were in confinement after childbirth, they only ate one chicken and a dozen eggs in total!
How much they envied the nun at that time, how much they despised her now - how could such a good life be brought back by someone? She must have been humiliated in the past, and the things she brought back were brought back without her mother-in-law's knowledge. In order to flatter herself, she said that it was her mother-in-law who made her bring them.
This time her mother-in-law must have found out and couldn't stand it anymore! The three daughters-in-law looked at each other quietly, and none of them took their eyes off Wang Caifeng's face, but no one stepped forward to persuade Wang Caifeng.
Wang Caifeng heard her father and mother quarreling over her deceased grandmother, so she wiped away her tears and said, "Dad, Mom, my mother-in-law didn't scold me, and Zhiquan didn't bully me. It was me who couldn't bear to leave my mother-in-law."
Her father got even angrier when he heard this: "I've already said that your mother-in-law asked you to move out for your own good. I think she wanted to take advantage of the bricks being fired in Ping'an Village by building a tiled house for you. You're the first one in ten or eight villages to have a tiled house, so why should you be dissatisfied?"
Wang Caifeng interrupted again: "This time they are not asking us to move out. Even if we move out, we can still stay in Pingan Village and see my mother every day whenever we want. This time they are asking us to go to the provincial capital."
"What?" Her parents thought they didn't understand, and her brothers and sisters-in-law also thought they didn't hear clearly.
Wang Caifeng then remembered that she had been busy recently and had not gone back to her parents' home to tell them about Liu Zhiquan's recruitment. No wonder her parents didn't understand, so she told them the whole story: "...Originally they wanted to recruit my mother-in-law, but she said that it would be better for Baoguo and Lele to go to school in the provincial capital than in Ping'an Village, so they insisted that Zhiquan go, and the supply and marketing cooperative in the provincial capital also agreed."
"Well, then, then does your uncle have any objection?" After Wang Caifeng's father was shocked, this was the first question he thought of. After asking, he looked at his three sons. He had no ability in his life and could only dig for food in the soil. Not to mention letting his sons go to the provincial capital supply and marketing cooperative, he couldn't even build a house for each of his sons.
So he wanted Wang Caifeng to say that the two brothers of the Liu family were humble to each other and put the big things first before the good things, so that Liu Zhiquan was hired. As a brother, Liu Zhishuang, who understood the greater good and did not compete with his brother, was willing to stay at home to support Xia Juhua in her old age.
We have to let these three good-for-nothings at home listen. Don’t bring anything back from Caifeng every day. They all want to take it all into their own rooms.
Wang Caifeng said, "Zhishuang went to the regional supply and marketing cooperative. Now Xiaoman is about to give birth and he can't leave for the time being. Besides, he doesn't want to go because he's afraid that my mother will be alone."
"Mom," Wang Caifeng cried to her own mother, "Why is my mom so stubborn that she doesn't even leave anyone by her side? I told Zhiquan to take the two children to the provincial capital alone, and I would stay in Ping'an Village with her. My mom would never agree, saying that we are a young couple and can't be apart for a long time."
Wang Caifeng’s parents: The person in front of you is not my daughter.
Wang Caifeng’s brother: Why don’t I have such a capable mother?
Wang Caifeng’s brothers and wives: I really want to touch Hua Gu Zi’s face, but I wonder if her mother-in-law will come to our house if I do?
Men are more receptive, so the first person to speak up was Wang Caifeng's father: "Didn't they say they were only hiring one person? Zhiquan could go by himself. Why are you and your whole family going with you?"
Wang Caifeng had asked Xia Juhua the reason, so she could answer this question: "People say my mother-in-law has made great contributions, so even though Zhiquan was the only one hired, the household registration of the three of us could be brought over."
Wang Caifeng's mother laughed happily: "That's great, my daughter will be a resident of the provincial capital from now on, and Baoguo and Lele will also be city dwellers."
"Yes, sister-in-law," Wang Caifeng's eldest sister-in-law said, following her mother-in-law's words, "You and your family will all live in the city in the future, but don't forget our relatives in the village."
This was not a very tactful thing to say. Wang Caifeng just nodded to her sister-in-law and complained to her mother: "I am willing to let Baoguo and Lele go to school in the provincial capital. I heard that the students in the provincial capital learn more than the students in our primary school. But I feel sorry for my mother. She is left alone at home without anyone to talk to."
Haha, Wang Caifeng's own mother couldn't help but sneer: "Your mother-in-law is busy with the brigade's affairs all day long. Many people want to talk to her but can't."
"That's right," Wang Caifeng's face lit up when she mentioned her mother-in-law, her tone full of pride: "Mom, you don't know how busy my mom is every day. People come to our house to ask questions while we're having meals. Without her instructions, they don't know what to do. Just say..."
"No need to talk." Wang Caifeng's father couldn't stand it any longer. Your mother-in-law is so busy, are you still worried that no one will talk to her? He just said, "Then pack your things and don't let your mother-in-law worry about your move."
Wang Caifeng responded listlessly. Her father only had this one daughter. Every time she went back to her parents' home, she would bring a lot of things to make him proud. He felt a little sorry for this daughter: "If you are too busy, let your mother go with you to clean up for two days."
Wang Caifeng was deeply moved after hearing this: "Dad, you are still good to me."
"I'm not as nice to you as your mother-in-law." Her father said this angrily, which made Wang Caifeng laugh, and her eyes naturally became dry.
So when Xia Juhua went home for lunch at noon, she found that it was her mother-in-law who cooked. She was a little surprised and said, "My mother-in-law is here, why are you so busy right after you come? Caifeng doesn't even care about your mother."
Wang Caifeng's mother said cheerfully, "It's not tiring to cook, and everyone can cook it differently. If Caifeng hadn't come home and told me today, I wouldn't have known that you had such a big happy event. Tell me why you are so tight-lipped. You should have told me earlier. Let's all be happy together."
Xia Juhua couldn't keep a straight face in front of her in-laws, so she smiled and said, "I thought Cai Feng had already told you."
"I don't know what this damn girl was thinking. She didn't tell us about such a big happy event. I only found out about it today when she packed her things by herself and couldn't bear to leave you. She came home and cried to me. If she didn't know, it would be fine. But when I found out that she was moving to the provincial capital, I was happy for her and worried about her. So I followed her to see if I could help in any way."
The in-laws' words made sense, and they even indirectly sold her daughter. Xia Juhua finally understood why Wang Caifeng usually didn't talk, but hit the nail on the head when she spoke.
Since Wang Caifeng's mother came to pack things for the daughter, she would not stay for just one day. She was so busy but still wanted to stay at the daughter's house. She always had a smile on her face. It was obvious that she did not come to the daughter's house because she was angry with her family. When the people in Ping'an Manor saw her, they asked her about it.
There is no need to hide good things, so Wang Caifeng's mother told everyone everything she knew. Only then did the members of Ping'an Village know that Liu Zhiquan, who had not reported to the production team for a few days, had actually reported to the provincial capital and was going to move there with his family.
While they were envious, the people in Pingan Manor were more grateful that Xia Juhua loved her son and gave such a good opportunity to Liu Zhiquan. If Xia Juhua went to work in the provincial supply and marketing cooperative, the members of Pingan Manor would not even want to think about it.
Sun Zhaodi lived next door to Xia Juhua, and had heard from Xiaoman that both brothers could work at the supply and marketing cooperative, but they were just working in different places. She was not one to publicize, and since no one in the Liu family was talking about it, she pretended not to know. Her daughter was about to give birth in a few days, and she was still recuperating in Ping'an Village, so she felt more at ease taking care of her in person.
Now that Wang Caifeng's mother has spread the news, when others ask Sun Zhaodi about his son, some want to see more excitement: "Why did they give the spot to Zhiquan? Isn't Zhishuang also the captain's son? It would be bad if the two brothers got into a fight just for a spot."
Sun Zhaodi glanced at the woman who was talking to her. She was recruited from Team 5, and she smiled. "You don't know what our team leader does. She is the most fair and clear-headed. How could she do something that would make the two brothers angry? Zhishuang also has to work at the supply and marketing cooperative, but in the district. It's not that Xiaoman is about to give birth, and the team leader asked him to wait until the baby is born before leaving, so that Xiaoman won't be scared when she gives birth."
The person who spoke blushed and said awkwardly, "That's right, I said the captain is not that kind of person."
Sun Zhaodi's voice was loud: "The captain is naturally not that kind of person. Not to mention his two sons, even for us, the captain has always followed the rules that have been set long ago. He has never ignored the rules just because of who is close or distant."
Zhao Xianzhi had already walked over slowly and looked at the things the two were knitting. The quality had not been reduced due to the idle chatter, so she started talking to Sun Zhaodi: "You are right. We should follow the rules. This is what the captain has already agreed to. By the way, when will your Xiaoman finish her confinement? Do you have to take a leave then?"
Sun Zhaodi smiled brightly: "Of course I have to take leave to take care of the confinement. The captain is so busy, how can he have time to take care of the confinement lady? Lele was not taken care of by Caifeng Niang at that time. I have already made an agreement with the captain that Xiaoman will be taken care of by me, and she only needs to take care of the team's affairs."
"You've finally found the right in-law." Zhao Xianzhi gave Sun Zhaodi a thumbs up and said, "Why didn't you say you wanted to have another daughter? If you had, I would have arranged for my youngest son to marry her. With a in-law like you, being a mother-in-law would be much less stressful."
Not only did Sun Zhaodi laugh, but everyone around her laughed. Sun Zhaodi smiled and said, "It's all about giving each other a favor. You've seen how the captain treats our family. How can I not lend a hand when she's too busy?"
Zhao Xianzhi nodded and said, "That's because you have a conscience and you can remember the kindness of the captain. Some people, after receiving the kindness of the captain, would like to see the captain make fun of them. That's a perverted heart."
The woman who had just spoken to Sun Zhaodi, whose face had just calmed down a little, suddenly turned red all the way to her neck. She wanted to raise her head to explain but had nothing to explain, so she had to pretend not to hear anything. She was a little at a loss for a moment.
Zhao Xianzhi pretended not to notice her embarrassment and spoke a few words to Sun Zhaodi before slowly leaving. An Baoling waited for a while before finding Zhao Xianzhi and said, "You are such a big mouth, you never want to suffer a loss."
"Why should I suffer a loss? Let me tell you, if that woman wasn't one of the first batch recruited, she would be quite quick at making up stories. Do you believe me, I won't let her come to work tomorrow? She earns money from Ping An Zhuang and still wants to see the captain laugh. She's so happy."
An Baoling pulled her a little further away and said, "Keep your voice down. We are rushing to get orders now, and the people we hired later are not yet fully employed. We are in need of people. If we were not in need of people, I would not let her stay here even if you did not come forward."
Zhao Xianzhi snorted: "You have a conscience. If I didn't want to make the captain angry, I would have sent those tongue-throwing guys back long ago."
An Baoling knew very well that if Zhao Xianzhi brought those people back, the captains of each production team would definitely ask Xia Juhua to judge. Then they would have to repeat to Xia Juhua what those people had said, which would probably make Xia Juhua, who had just recovered from her illness, anxious again.
"Forget it. With what you said just now, they dare not gossip anymore. Let's go talk to my sister-in-law tonight and hire more girls to make mats. There are many orders, and the girls are young and learn things quickly. They will gradually replace those people."
Zhao Xianzhi didn't want to see Xia Juhua right now: "What do you think I should say when I see the captain? She will definitely ask what the current situation is. I will just tell her that the reeds are about to be gone and the mat weaving team has to stop working?"
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