Chapter 172
Xia Juhua heard Chang Chunya joking with her, so she stepped forward and gently slapped her: "Just because you're the factory director, you dare to be so disrespectful to me?"
Chang Chunya pretended to be frightened and shrank his neck, then begged for mercy with a smile: "Captain, please don't say that in front of my father, otherwise he will beat me to death." Everyone who heard it laughed, and said that Chang Chunya was right. Now Accountant Chang was like Zhao Xianzhi of Ping'an Village, and could not bear to hear anyone say a word against Xia Juhua.
After everyone had been chatting and laughing for a while, Chang Chunya remembered something: "Captain, there is a letter for you on the desk. I don't think it's an urgent letter, so I didn't send it to the brigade headquarters."
Although Xia Juhua had a lot of contacts with people, she usually made phone calls and few people wrote to her. When she heard that there was a letter, she immediately thought of Liu Zhiliang who was far away in the northwest. She couldn't help but feel a little puzzled - there was still a month before the Chinese New Year, why did this child's letter come so early this time.
As he thought about this, he returned to the factory director's office that he and Chang Chunya shared. On her desk, a brown paper envelope lay quietly. Such envelopes appeared three or five times a year. They were the same envelopes that Liu Zhiliang, who was serving in the army in the northwest, would use to fill in the letters he gave to Xia Juhua.
In the past, Liu Zhiliang's letters would tell about his performance in the army and ask about family matters. As far as Xia Juhua knew, Liu Zhiliang would send six yuan to Sun Guizhi every month, but rarely wrote to them, so he always asked her about the family situation.
If Liu Zhiliang was Xia Juhua's son, after receiving the first payment, she would write to tell Liu Zhiliang that he didn't need to send any more money home - conscripts only received eight yuan in allowance a month, and if he sent back six yuan, Liu Zhiliang would only have two yuan left, which was just enough to buy some sanitary supplies.
But Liu Zhiliang is the son of Sun Guizhi and Liu Sizhuang. Xia Juhua doesn't want to ask what these two people do. She just tells him in the reply letter to Liu Zhiliang that Ping'an Manor is getting better and better, and everyone's dividends are getting more and more. If Liu Sizhuang's family does not squander the dividends, it should be enough for them to live on. She tells him not to worry about home all the time.
Her reply did not stop Liu Zhiliang from sending money home. In his next letter, Liu Zhiliang expressed his happiness for the development of Pingan Village, but did not mention that he had used a bar of soap for three months and a toothbrush for almost a year in the army.
But when Liu Zhijun wrote to his family, he would mention that An Baoling not only did not allow Liu Zhijun to send money home, but also asked her to send gifts to her son during the holidays. Liu Zhijun used Liu Zhiliang as an example to prove that he kept all his allowance and it was enough to cover his monthly expenses, so he did not allow his mother to send him anything anymore.
Liu Zhiliang didn't know that he had been "betrayed" by Liu Zhijun. In the next letter, he told Xia Juhua that he would work hard to train and strive to enter the combat class as soon as possible, instead of being satisfied with being a communicator for the leader.
Liu Zhiliang perfectly interpreted the saying that bad bamboo shoots produce good bamboos. Xia Juhua picked up the envelope, looked at the familiar stamp for voluntary postage, and shook her head slightly: Fortunately, the voluntary soldiers could send letters for free, otherwise she would be embarrassed to write back to Liu Zhiliang, lest the stamp money would increase the burden on her children.
Pulling out the letter paper, Xia Juhua found that Liu Zhiliang's handwriting was much more beautiful than last time. The neat and smooth running script did not look like it was written by someone who had never been to school.
Therefore, the saying that where there is a will there is a way is true in all situations.
Xia Juhua, who was proud of Liu Zhiliang's progress, fell down in her chair when she saw the contents of his letter. Her hands were shaking slightly and she had to use some strength to hold the letter.
The content of the letter seemed no different from before, but Liu Zhiliang's tone of narration was heavier than usual, and there was a sense of confession between the lines.
In the letter, he first solemnly apologized for the harm Sun Guizhi and the Sun family had caused to Xia Juhua, and thanked Xia Juhua for her positive guidance to Liu Hongjuan in the past two years. He asked Xia Juhua to try her best to prevent Sun Guizhi from not allowing Liu Hongjuan to continue to study because of greed for the production team's dividends, which would lead to Liu Hongjuan's resignation.
He also asked Xia Juhua to persuade the second and third grandfathers to take more responsibility for Sun's life without hurting her feelings, because she knew that her own parents would probably not support Sun in her old age.
"…After I arrived at the army, I realized the importance of knowledge. Auntie, you don't know how grateful I and Brother Zhijun are to you. Maybe I will never express this gratitude to you, but please believe that my gratitude to you is no less than that to my parents. No, it is more than that to my parents. Auntie, I really hope that I can have the opportunity to repay you."
If Xia Juhua didn't know that a war would break out between the southwestern border and the White-Eyed Wolf Country more than a month later, she would be happy for Liu Zhiliang's understanding, and even a little proud - all 21 recruits from Ping'an Village could read, and they all performed very well among their batch of recruits.
None of the 21 Ping An Village soldiers returned to Ping An Village after completing their three-year compulsory military service. They trained hard and had strong ideas, so they were kept in the army to continue training and were likely to be selected as volunteers. It can be said that she facilitated all of this.
But when she knew about the war, she understood the real meaning behind Liu Zhiliang's words "Perhaps I will never express my gratitude to you one day", and tears fell involuntarily.
A line from a song that she had always hummed in her life suddenly came to Xia Juhua's mind: Maybe I'll say goodbye and never come back...
No, this wasn't even a farewell, it was clearly a conscious statement... a suicide note.
Xia Juhua could hardly imagine what kind of mood Liu Zhiliang, who would be 18 years old this year, was in when he wrote this letter. She grabbed the phone and wanted to call Lin Hongliang urgently. She wanted to ask him clearly: Where did Liu Zhiliang get the news? Was it because the unit they were in was about to be pulled up that they asked the child to write such a letter?
The war broke out in the southwest, and Liu Zhiliang and his fellow soldiers served in the northwest!
Soon, Xia Juhua put down the phone helplessly without even dialing the number. She couldn't make this call. Not only could she not make the call, but she also had to pretend that she didn't understand the meaning of the letter and carefully reply to Liu Zhiliang, lest Liu Zhiliang be accused of leaking secrets because of her phone call to get to the bottom of things.
"Captain, what's wrong with you?" When Chang Chunya walked in, he saw Xia Juhua hanging up the phone with a bad look on her face and a suspicious moisture in the corner of her eyes. Thinking that she had received a bad call, he asked carefully.
Xia Juhua wiped her eyes and pretended to be nonchalant, saying, "Nothing. Zhiliang wrote back saying that he can't go home for the New Year this year. I wanted to call the leader of his unit to plead for mercy, but I was afraid it would affect his progress, so I gave up."
Are you crying because Liu Zhiliang can't go home for the New Year? Chang Chunya didn't believe it. After all, the relationship between Liu Sizhuang's family and Xia Juhua was no secret in Pingan Village. Even if Liu Zhiliang had resolved the grudge with Xia Juhua before leaving, it couldn't erase the fact that he was only Xia Juhua's nephew, not her biological son.
Chang Chunya believed that even if either Liu Zhiquan or Liu Zhishuang wrote to say that they could not go home for the New Year, Xia Juhua would not shed tears.
However, she was a very sensible person and would not question Xia Juhua's obviously perfunctory answer. She took the opportunity to talk about the problems encountered by the instant noodle factory: "The army's orders have increased a lot, and our stocks of white flour and oil are not enough. I called Comrade Lin the day before yesterday, and he said it would take two days to ship them over. Do you think we should stop one production line and give the workers two days off in shifts?"
Xia Juhua hesitated for a moment and asked, "How much money is left in the factory's account? You can call Secretary Lin of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and ask him if he can help coordinate. We can buy some ourselves first, just enough to cover the transportation gap between the troops in the past few days."
Chang Chunya thought for a while and said, "If we purchase directly, the price may be different from that coordinated by the troops. What if the troops do not recognize this account?" In the past, all the ingredients, except for the seasonings, were directly coordinated by the troops, and the instant noodle factory did not have to pay for it themselves.
"It's okay." Xia Juhua had her own plans: "The production line cannot stop. If there is a difference, I can explain it to Comrade Lin." As long as the bills are genuine and compliant, Xia Juhua felt that after so many years of cooperation, everyone still had this trust.
Chang Chunya did not raise any objections to Xia Juhua's persistence in production. After Xia Juhua left, she called the team leaders of the two production lines to the office and emphasized production discipline and safety to them, making sure that Xia Juhua would not worry about anything other than inventory.
Xia Juhua didn't know that after she left the instant noodle factory, Chang Chunya had come to the weaving factory to deal with the aftermath. Yes, last spring, the weaving group finally hung up a sign and officially changed its name to Ping'anzhuang Weaving Factory. It still implemented independent financial accounting and paid profits to the production team for dividends at the end of the year.
After the name change, orders continued to come in, but the company produced fewer reed mats and focused more on decorations, daily necessities and newly developed straw hats, which often required the female workers to work overtime to complete.
After entering the factory, Xia Juhua did not go to the office, but went directly to Group 3, where An Baoling was the team leader. She stood outside the newly replaced glass window, observing An Baoling as she knitted and chatted with the people around her. She felt that her expression was very normal, and she was also indescribably happy.
“隊長，你來檢查工作了，咋不進去呢。是不是怕這些人想讓你露一手，你自己好長時間不編手生了，不好意思？”趙仙枝聽說夏菊花來了，找了過來，發現夏菊花站在窗外看了半天不進屋，便上前打趣她。
夏菊花聽了一笑：“可不是，以前還能編兩下，現在你們能人越來越多，想的花樣也越來越複雜，我可不敢進去露怯，在外頭看看就行。”
趙仙枝可不愛聽這話：“你那手藝，別說現在，就是再有個十年八年不編，拿起來也比別人強出一條街去。走吧，進去吧。寶玲今天剛接到志/軍的信，正高興着呢，咱們讓她晚上給咱們做點好吃的。”說着拉着夏菊花就進了屋。
大家見她們兩個一起進來，都十分高興，很是喧嚷了一會兒，才接着工作。安寶玲這個組長是沒有定量的，只是她一向好強，每天跟着組員一起編個不休。
現在夏菊花來了，也就不争這一時的進度，跟趙仙枝一起，拉着夏菊花到不影響別人幹活的角落裏，說起悄悄話：“嫂子，你說志/軍這熊孩子，說懂事一下子就懂事兒了。這回寫信還知道讓我別老跟三壯拌嘴，又讓我看着志國好好念書，說是咋也得讓他考學，哪怕上個中專也行。”
夏菊花的眼淚好懸沒掉下來，低着頭平複了一下心情才說：“孩子懂事了你還不高興。不過那小子咋知道你跟三壯拌嘴的，這些年我覺得三壯夠聽話的了。”
“說的就是呢。”趙仙枝沒覺得夏菊花說話一直不擡頭有啥反常，跟着打趣安寶玲：“三壯自從搬了家之後，天天不是喂雞就是掃院子，家裏的活都成他的了，比我們家李常旺眼裏有活多了。”
安寶玲被她們打趣的有些不好意思：“哪有你們說的那麽好，你是沒見他犟起來……”
夏菊花慢慢走出編織廠，又到平安莊另外三戶軍屬家轉了一圈，發現這三家的孩子并沒有寫信回來。她心裏有了猜測，那就是西北的部隊，并沒有下達參戰的通知，而是劉志亮這個領導的通信員，在領導那裏得到了一點消息，只告訴了劉志/軍，兄弟兩個才一起寫信回家。
別人不知道消息，夏菊花卻更加清晰的明白，戰争的腳步逼近了。想着二十一名平安莊的孩子，很可能直面白眼狼國，她的心就揪成了一團。
夏菊花覺得，不論孩子們知不知道消息，都應該把家裏人對他們的思念表達出來，讓他們在上戰場之前，得到家人更多的關心，也是讓他們心裏多一份牽挂。
不是要分孩子們的心，而是人有了牽挂，就會有更強的求生欲，哪怕負了傷挂了彩，孩子們也會為了家人的關心和挂念，撐住了，活着回到家鄉。
只要他們能回到平安莊，夏菊花就有辦法讓他們擁有正常的、甚至超過別人的生活。
不動聲色的，夏菊花一家一家走訪了二十戶軍屬，對他們灌輸着孩子們離家遠不容易，快過年了大隊要給孩子們表達一份心意，軍屬們要是也想表達心意的話，可以跟大隊的一起寄到部隊。
自從孩子們當兵走後，平安莊大隊每到年前，都會給他們郵寄酸辣粉，已經成了習慣。所以軍屬們并沒覺得夏菊花的走訪太過突兀，反而問她自己家給孩子們寄啥好。
夏菊花早想好了，對每家說得都一樣：“孩子們天天訓練，膠鞋多不透氣呀，我覺得你們給他郵啥，都不如多給做幾雙鞋墊。”
“那東西又實用又好帶，孩子們墊到腳底下，是不是跟踩在咱們平安莊的土路上一樣？部隊啥衣裳都發，還就是這鞋墊不發，寄點部隊不發的，不比寄啥都強。”
盡管大家都跟夏菊花開玩笑，說平安莊大隊不管哪個生産隊，都已經找不到土路了，可是大部分人家還是采納了夏菊花的建議，決定多給部隊的孩子們做幾雙鞋墊郵去。
別人家都走到了，夏菊花最後來到了劉家老院。
與前幾年相比，劉家老院更破舊了，還因為劉二壯、劉三壯相繼搬走，人氣差了一大截，整個院子從外頭一點聲音都聽不到，給人的感覺暮氣沉沉的。
推開門進院，裏頭倒是挺熱鬧，柴火梗、水桶、鐵鍬和鋤頭，東一個西一個扔得到處都是，還有随處可見的雞糞，連個落腳的地方都找不到。
“誰來了，咋連門都不叫呢？”孫氏邊問着，邊從正房出來，見站在院門口的夏菊花，愣了。
她在村裏見到夏菊花的時候都不多，見到了也有意避開，兩個人除了那年她在生産隊豬圈時見的一面，好幾年沒正面碰到了。
此時竟有些相對無言。
孫氏是知道夏菊花無事不登三寶殿，夏菊花則是驚訝于孫氏蒼老的速度：與上輩子相比，六十多歲的孫氏，腰已經完全彎了下去，頭發全白了，眼神也渾濁不清，一說話顯出掉得不剩下幾個的牙，說她八十夏菊花都信。
兩人都站在原地沒說話，東廂房走出了同樣聽到動靜的孫桂芝。見來人是夏菊花，她的眼神瑟縮了一下，小聲而忐忑的問：“你來幹啥？”
她沒法不忐忑，夏菊花給她造成的心理陰影，恐怕一輩子也消除不了。現在她早沒了與夏菊花做對的心思，與孫氏一樣，覺得離夏菊花越遠越平安。
夏菊花心裏說不清是啥滋味，幹脆不想，直接說：“過幾天大隊又要給當兵的孩子們寄東西了，你們有啥要給志亮寄的，可以跟着一起寄去。”
孫桂芝轉身就要回屋，嘴裏小聲嘀咕着：“家裏要啥沒啥，哪有東西寄給他。他一天天在部隊有吃有喝，還以有衣裳穿，用不着家裏的東西。”
這是親娘能說出的話嗎？夏菊花想上去抽她——她走了二十家，哪家當娘的提起當兵的兒子，不是眼淚轉眼圈，恨不得馬上把鞋墊塞到夏菊花手裏，覺得早一天讓兒子用上，自己當娘的心能早一天有所安放。
沒想到孫桂芝竟連問都不問問別人家寄啥，就不怕別人都收到家裏的東西，劉志亮自己沒有心裏難過嗎？！
孫氏看着孫桂芝，氣哼哼的說：“千裏送鵝毛，禮輕情誼重。哪怕你寄塊布頭去，也是家裏的東西。志亮一個月八塊錢津貼，郵回家就是六塊，還換不回你塊布頭？”
夏菊花看向孫氏的目光更複雜了，她想不到竟然能從孫氏嘴裏說出這番話來——這老太太在她的印象裏，一向都是只顧自己的人。
孫桂芝那頭也哼哼：“你說得好聽，咋不見你給他做點啥郵去呢？我天天下工回來還得做飯，哪兒有閑工夫給他做東西。”
孫氏看起來老邁，對上孫桂芝，嘴頭子跟原來一樣利索：“你還好意思說下工做飯，你那工是咋上的自己心裏沒數？別人一年分紅錢拿四五百，你們兩口子加起來都拿不到，現在倒把上工挂嘴邊上了。再說你做飯是給我做的嗎，那是你們兩口子吃的，我跟紅娟吃的是我做的！”
她這番話裏的信息量有點大，夏菊花要反應一會兒才理清楚，敢情孫氏與劉四壯兩口子現在不在一處吃飯，大有水火不相容的意思。
剛理清楚，孫桂芝那頭還上嘴了：“我們兩口子為啥分紅少，還不是你和紅娟兩個把口糧工分，都扣到我們頭上了？”
“放屁，紅娟的口糧那是志亮裏補貼扣的，我吃的是你二哥、三哥一人一年一百斤麥子還有大隊一年給的五十斤，啥時候用你們兩背口糧工分了？”孫氏不知出于啥目的，把跟孫桂芝之間的帳當着夏菊花的面，算得清清楚楚。
夏菊花聽見了也只當沒聽到，見孫桂芝指望不上，對孫氏說：“我各家都走到了，人家都說要給孩子們做些鞋墊郵去。今天來你家就是問問，你們要是給志亮做呢，三天後送到大隊部。”說完，轉身出了院門，頭也不回的往自己家走。
她想好了，不管孫氏或孫桂芝是不是給劉志亮做，她都要給孩子做幾雙郵去——那兩人送來更好，不送來也不至于讓志亮收到郵包之後失望。
三天的時間，夏菊花基本走到哪兒，手裏都拿着布袼褙，有空就縫兩針，總算做出十雙鞋墊來。
打包的那一天，有孩子當兵的軍屬來了一大幫，家家都是一個小包袱。夏菊花挨個看了一遍，發現大家除了說好的鞋墊，有加了手工背心的，有加了布鞋的，甚至還有加了粗布短褲的。她都叫陳秋生一一标明是誰家的，該由誰收着。
孫氏是自己來的，一言不發的把手裏的包袱遞給了陳秋生，轉身就離開大隊部，仍然沒跟夏菊花說一句話。
Chen Qiusheng treated the bundle as he would any other family. He took a look inside and found six pairs of insoles, a coarse cloth vest and a pair of shorts. He couldn't help but say to Xia Juhua, "Zhiliang lived with his grandmother and Hongjuan for those two years. It seems that they are more thoughtful than Liu Sizhuang and his wife."
After hearing what was said, Xia Juhua took a look at the things inside and realized that the vest was probably not made by Sun - the stitches on it were long and short, and it was obvious that it was the work of a beginner.
"How is Hongjuan doing with her studies now?" Xia Juhua asked since she didn't see Liu Hongjuan that day.