Chapter 173
When hearing Xia Juhua asking about Liu Hongjuan's situation, Chen Qiu Sheng opened his mouth and said, "That child studies very hard, but her brain doesn't seem to be open. Her grades are below average in the class, and she has little chance of getting into high school." Although he spent most of his time in the vermicelli factory, he still knew the situation of everyone in Ping'an Village.
Xia Juhua sighed silently: "No matter what, Zhiliang has always been thinking about her. If she really can't study, when she graduates from junior high school, we'll see which factory she wants to work in and arrange it for her." If Zhiliang really goes to the battlefield, this arrangement will make him feel more at ease.
Talking about whether the children can study, Chen Qiusheng watched Xia Juhua split the ten pairs of insoles she made into two and stuffed them into Liu Zhiliang and Liu Zhijun's bags respectively, and thought of someone at the same time, and said with a smile:
"When it comes to perseverance in studying, I think none of the kids from Ping An Village can compare to Qi Xi. I heard that he will take the college entrance examination this year, and he holds a book in his hand while eating every day."
Xia Juhua was somewhat helpless about Qixi's persistence in taking the college entrance examination. Who would have thought that Qixi, who used to be a frivolous boy, would become addicted to studying and set the goal of changing his fate through studying? He took Hu Zhongshan, an educated youth who had already gone to college, as his role model and signed up for the college entrance examination last year. Unfortunately, he only scored a little over 200 points. Why did he have to take the exam again this year?
"His family doesn't rely on him to earn work points, so let him take the exam again one year. If he still fails this year, Master Wu will have to speak up." This was all Xia Juhua could say.
Chen Qiusheng nodded in agreement and picked up a bundle that was bigger than others. "This was sent by Fifth Master Da Xi early in the morning. He told me not to write any of the children's names on it. When it arrives in the mail, they can divide it among themselves."
"Did the Fifth Master bring it?" Xia Juhua asked curiously, "What good stuff is there that needs to be packed in such a big bag?" After she said that, she picked up the bag herself and found that it was extremely heavy.
"How much does it cost to mail this?" Xia Juhua sighed as she opened the package and was completely stunned.
The bag contained all the crops grown by Ping'an Village Brigade this year, from wheat to sweet potatoes, corn and sorghum. There wasn't much of each crop, but because of the rich variety, it was packed into such a large bag.
Chen Qiu Sheng saw a rather large paper bag at the bottom of the bundle with some dirt hanging from the outside. He couldn't help laughing: "Fifth Master is old after all, he didn't even bother to shake off the dirt on the paper bag. What good stuff is this?" He opened the paper bag as he said this.
Wrapped in three or four layers of paper was actually some yellow soil, which looked like it was dug from the land of Ping'an Village, because there were small grass sticks and a few pieces of broken grass leaves in it.
Chen Qiu Sheng said in confusion: "What is this old man thinking? There is soil everywhere. Why mail it all the way to the troops?" After De Xin wrapped the soil, he wanted to put the paper bag outside the bundle.
Xia Juhua held his hand tightly, quickly rewrapped the paper bag with the seeds, and said in a low voice: "This is all Fifth Master's kindness, it is the best thing, nothing can be missing."
There was a tremor in her voice. Chen Qiusheng had already lowered his head when he looked at her. Only a drop of liquid fell on the bundle, which made Chen Qiusheng's heart clench. He didn't understand why the fifth master sent yellow earth to the children, nor did he know why Xia Juhua suddenly shed tears. But his heart inexplicably became heavy.
Xia Juhua's heart was boiling with rage. She wasn't sure if Master Wu had guessed her intention, but she couldn't stop herself from going to Master Wu's yard.
Ever since the first batch of chicks were successfully hatched, Master Wu has never stopped hatching chicks - every family in Ping'an Village has raised more and more chickens, and relying on the hens to lay nests cannot solve the problem, so many families come to Master Wu for help.
In order to not let the old man's hard work go in vain, everyone gave Wuye 30 cents for each chick. The breeding eggs were 10 cents each, and Wuye could hatch 300 chicks on one kang. Excluding bad eggs, he could earn more than 50 yuan for each batch. For an old man who could no longer work in the fields, this income was not low, so Wuye was reluctant to give up such a lucrative job.
However, Fifth Master was not a person who would eat alone. He would share some with any grandson who accompanied him during the incubation period. Even if the grandsons did not want it, he still had his great-grandsons. He was always very generous in giving New Year's money to the children.
At this time, Xia Juhua heard the chirping of chicks as soon as she entered the yard. It seemed that Master Wu's chicks had hatched again. Li Zhaodi came over and greeted Xia Juhua, then handed her a white coat. Xia Juhua was in a bad mood, but she smiled when she saw this: "Master Wu is still so particular?"
Li Zhaodi nodded and said, "My grandfather said that the chicks he hatched are easier to raise than those of other families because he pays attention to hygiene."
When watching TV in her previous life, Xia Juhua knew that the hygiene requirements in some large hatcheries were indeed very strict, so she said to Li Zhaodi: "What Fifth Master said makes sense. Isn't that what the technicians at the Agricultural Technology Station require? Maybe it's a bit troublesome for you to go in and out every day to take care of Fifth Master."
Hearing her explain to herself on behalf of the Fifth Master, Li Zhaodi couldn't help laughing: "We all know that everyone has made a white coat for themselves, so they don't have to wear the same one as others."
Xia Juhua also smiled and asked, "Since they are hatched, why don't you let them take away quickly? Why do you keep them at home? Do you want them or what?" The chicks are very delicate and want to be kept warm and eat soft millet. One or two is nothing, but if there are more than 200 of them, the amount of millet required is not small.
"It's winter now. My grandfather said it's hard to raise chicks in cold weather. Keep them at home for a few more days and let someone catch them after they've been bumped and bruised." Li Zhaodi explained to Xia Juhua.
Xia Juhua nodded after hearing this. No wonder everyone in Ping An Manor recognized the chicks hatched by Master Wu. This consideration for others was far better than those who didn't care about the life or death of the chicks just to make more money.
The Fifth Master had heard their conversation and said from inside, "It's very cold outside. If you have anything to say, please come inside and talk."
Li Zhaodi smiled quietly at Xia Juhua. They went to the west room and saw that Master Wu was squatting on the kang and scattering rice for the chicks. When he saw them come in, he patted the broken rice in his hands and was about to go to the field.
Xia Juhua said hurriedly: "Why are you being so polite to me? I have nothing to do. I just haven't seen you out for a long time, so I came to see you."
"Have all those things been mailed?" When Master Wu heard her say that she had nothing to do, he seemed to know why she came. He got up from the ground floor, put on his shoes, and said, "Let's talk in that room. The smell in this room is too strong and you can't stay here."
The three of them arrived at the east room. Li Zhaodi poured each of them a glass of water and went home to make lunch for the Fifth Master. Xia Juhua and the Fifth Master were left alone, and neither of them spoke a word, and no one touched the glass of water in front of them.
After a long silence, Master Wu sighed and said, "It's enough that you have shown your intentions. Don't dwell on it. Just do what you need to do."
Xia Juhua hummed but didn't say anything. She sat for a while and then got up and went out. She could still hear Fifth Master's long sigh.
Some things can't be overcome by just sighing, you still have to face them. Xia Juhua knew that there were many people like Wu Ye who were old and shrewd. This year, she suddenly mobilized all the military dependents to send things to the soldiers in Ping An Village. Naturally, some people thought the same thing as Wu Ye, but no one said it out loud.
Not saying anything is not because I am not worried, but because I am afraid that others will have the same worries as me.
Xia Juhua had been forcing herself to smile during this year. Even though Liu Zhiquan and his brothers returned to Ping'an Village with their wives and children on the 29th day of the 11th lunar month, and the three children were vying to call her grandma, Xia Juhua's smile did not linger for a moment.
The New Year's Eve dinner still has to be eaten on the 30th. Even if there is no mood to prepare for the New Year, the ingredients in Xia Juhua's family are still much richer than those of ordinary families. Qi Weidong, who has opened up the seafood route, not only supplies instant noodle factories, but also has many sales channels. Xia Juhua doesn't even need to calculate how much money he makes in a year. She knows that if the agricultural and trade market is given up now, Qi Weidong can also build it.
Qi Weidong, who had made money, treated Xia Juhua, who helped him to find the way, as his own aunt. As soon as the first month of the lunar year came, he took everything from food to clothes to Ping An Manor, and gave Xia Juhua a big red envelope of 5,000 yuan. After being scolded by Xia Juhua, he put it away awkwardly: "I just don't know how to thank my aunt. If you don't accept the money and things, I will be embarrassed to come to Ping An Manor again."
Xia Juhua looked at the pile of things on the ground and shook her head helplessly: "It's hard to say who is taking advantage of whom. You think I have paved the way for you to buy seafood, but in the past year, you have not made a penny from the seafood you supplied to the instant noodle factory except for the freight and losses."
"The instant noodle factory is not selling to the public now. The processing fee paid by the army is only enough to pay the workers' wages and electricity bills. You invested money, but you didn't get a penny back in one year. Ping An Village took advantage of you."
Qi Weidong waved his hand nonchalantly: "Auntie told me that this is far away. I invested in the instant noodle factory not for the next two years, but because I am optimistic about the future profits of the instant noodle factory. You don't know how much I made this year just by delivering hot and sour noodles to the railway."
Seeing Xia Juhua looking at him with a half-smile, Qi Weidong realized that what he had just said sounded like bragging. He took out the big red envelope that Xia Juhua had just rejected and shook it to prove that what he said was true: "It must be more than twice this."
Xia Juhua had no doubts about this, because Qi Weidong was a successful businessman in his previous life, and he would never do business at a loss. So she accepted the seafood, beef and mutton, and a basket of very rare vegetables sent by Qi Weidong with peace of mind.
Just two days ago, Qi Weidong came back from Guangzhou and gave Xia Juhua a basket of seafood so that she could have something fresh to eat during the New Year.
今天的年夜飯，主打就是幾味齊衛東送來的海鮮。
“奶，這個好吃，你快嘗嘗。”劉保國給夏菊花挾了一塊香煎馬膠魚，緊跟着給樂樂也挾了一塊，還囑咐她：“有刺。”
安安見了連聲叫哥，眼巴巴的看着劉保國的筷子。劉保國沖他笑了一下，卻給他挾了一個雞腿：“那個有再刺，你還小自己不會吐刺，紮嗓子。這個好，肉多。”
看着一本正經關心弟妹的劉保國，夏菊花覺得這輩子王彩鳳把他教育的不錯：“保國又懂事不少，彩鳳一個人帶兩個孩子，也辛苦，自己挾菜吃。”
“娘，我也挺辛苦的。”小滿在那頭裝出吃醋的樣子說：“你咋不說讓我挾菜吃？”
夏菊花聽了便笑着說：“你當我沒看到你炸丸子的時候，嘴就沒閑着？”那頭王彩鳳已經給小滿挾了個大蝦放進碗裏。
劉志雙有些羨慕的說：“小齊這兩年更能幹了，這些東西也就是自己帶，能吃到新鮮的。要是買的話，別說不好買，買着了上頭也都是冰坨子，肉都懈松了。”
劉志全一直悶頭招呼海鮮，聽了劉志雙的話才擡頭：“現在看小齊不上班倒自在，不象我們上個班，天天拴在辦公室哪兒也動不了。”
王彩鳳卻很知足，向劉志全說：“自在是自在，可啥事都得自己操心不說，還得擔心有人抓投機倒把。現在咱們兩個人上班，我下班了能炒點花生，又能照顧他們哥兩，不也挺好。”
“嫂子，你今年冬天炒了多少花生？”小滿一聽王彩鳳說到炒花生就來勁了，忙打聽起來。
夏菊花是知道小滿搬到地區後，因為自己不一班掙錢很是郁悶了一陣子，還是齊衛東聽說後，直接找到地區家屬樓，請她接着替自己炒花生，跟在平安莊時一樣給她加工費。
考慮到地區與省城的消費水平，齊衛東給小滿的加工分出到了一斤一毛錢，一個月下來比劉志雙的工資高好幾倍。
後來王彩鳳聽說了，打電話問齊衛東自己在省城能不能也炒花生，齊衛東直接把自己在省城的一個夥伴介紹給她，讓她直接從那人手裏進生花生，炒好後那人直接在省城銷售，與小滿的并不沖突。
小滿心細，為了不給劉志雙造成啥影響，兩口子特意悄悄租了個小院子，支了口鍋炒起了花生。所以剛才小滿說她一年也很辛苦，夏菊花心裏是認同的——她都聽齊衛東說了，小滿這一年幾乎沒閑着，不象王彩鳳只是年前炒了兩個月。
他們掙了多少錢夏菊花不問，自己掙的錢自然也不會說。她很喜歡現在的相處模式，大家一年見上幾回面，不會生疏也不過于親近。
吃完飯，看着有說有笑收拾桌子的妯娌兩個，夏菊花再一次覺得自己讓兩兒子搬到城裏是再明智不過的事兒，心裏正暗暗得意着，劉志全就推了一個紅包到她面前。
夏菊花看都沒看裏頭包了多少錢，直接推了回去：“都說了我自己能掙錢，你們在城裏啥都得買，花錢的地方多着呢，用不着給我錢。”
劉保國和樂樂都看到親爹給奶奶紅包，見奶奶不要，一起跑到夏菊花身邊，一個拉兜、一個接過紅包往裏裝，都說：“奶，你拿着，買好吃的，想買啥買啥。”
安安一看比那兩還着急，沖着劉志雙喊：“爹，紅包。”
劉志雙逗兒子：“啥紅包，明天拜年才能收紅包呢，現在沒有。”
安安指着跟夏菊花笑鬧成一團的劉保國和樂樂說：“給奶奶的紅包，快拿來。”
“咱們家的錢，憑啥給奶奶，不給。”不着調的劉志雙，接着逗兒子。小滿進屋的時候，看到的就是兒子要哭不哭的表情，埋怨劉志雙道：“天天逗他，大年下的把他招哭了，你看娘罵不罵你。”
說完，小滿從自己褲兜裏掏出一個鼓囊囊的紅包，讓安安給夏菊花裝到另一邊的兜裏。
夏菊花把三個孩子攬到跟前，按着他們坐好，再把兩個紅包擺到三人腳邊，問那四個：“你們兩家今年掙了多少錢，咋都一下子拿這些給我。你們日子不過了？”
從你們搬到城裏那天起，咱們分家已經是事實了好不好，我不再收你們的錢，你們也別指望着我的，多好。剛才還覺得距離産生美的夏菊花，生怕兩兒子再用兩個紅包賴上自己，找着理由拒絕。
劉志全開口說：“娘，我跟志雙這兩天打聽了一下，我二叔他們家連房子帶院子，一共花了一千一百塊錢。我們一人掏六百，你開春也把房子蓋了吧。”
要說平安莊誰最有資格蓋新房，劉志全兄弟覺得非他們的親娘莫屬。結果今年回來一看，生産隊四分之一的人家都住進磚瓦房了，他們的親娘還一個人守在舊房子裏。
兩人心裏都挺不是滋味：親娘把進城的機會讓給了他們，哪怕他們住的筒子樓或是單元房，不如平安莊的院子寬敞，可是生活的便利強過平安莊好幾倍。每當察覺了一項生活的便利，他們都會想起自己還在平安莊的親娘，覺得是從她那裏偷來的，心裏有些內疚。
是，現在平安莊的事兒離不開夏菊花，他們都知道親娘一時半會也離不開平安莊，那讓親娘住得好一點，出行的時候順當一點，也彌補一下他們的愧疚，總成吧？
兩人知道夏菊花集資了五千塊錢修路，怕她是手裏沒錢才舍不得蓋新房，商量了一下決定兩人出錢，給親娘蓋房子：他們親娘為平安莊付出那麽多，他們不能讓她比別人住得次。
夏菊花聽了兩人理由，真是無語至極：“就算修路的時候我集資了五千塊錢，可我每個月在粉條廠、方便面廠和編織廠，都有工資。別看我，我倒是不想要，一說他們就說我要是不要的話，他們也不好意思拿工資，我能咋辦？”工資多少夏菊花雖然沒說，不過劉志全等人覺得應該不少于工人的平均數。
再加上平安莊分紅的話，夏菊花的收入還真是不低，劉志雙有些不解的問：“娘，那你咋不張羅着蓋房子呢？磚房住着又寬敞又保溫，冬暖夏涼的省得你受罪。”
夏菊花看起來一直跟大家說說笑笑，其實不過是想着兩兒子難得回來一次，不能讓自己的情緒破壞了過年的氣氛。現在聽到劉志雙說啥冬暖夏涼不受罪，不由想起上輩子電視裏介紹的“貓耳洞”來。
濕熱的天氣裏，戰士們仍然堅守在貓耳洞中守護國土，除了氣候炎熱、蛇鼠蚊蟲盯咬，吃喝都成問題，還有不時的冷槍與流彈，連生命安全都沒保障，那才叫受罪！
自己只是住在老房子裏，看起來舊了一些，可行動起來是無拘無束的，環境是安全的，吃喝都是有保證的，有啥資格說受罪？
見夏菊花一直沒說話，還有些出神，劉志全幾個都有些發蒙，連孩子們也都不再吵鬧，而是看着夏菊花，不時的用小手摸摸她的臉或是拉拉她的手。
“這麽好的房子住着，能叫受罪？”夏菊花醒過神來，接着跟兩兒子讨論蓋新房的事兒：“這房子是咱們娘三個一塊土坯一塊土坯壘起來的，哪一塊上頭都有咱們仨流的汗。我還想在這裏多住幾年，蓋房子的事兒以後再說吧。”
劉志全兄弟兩個都沉默了。王彩鳳經歷過劉志雙成親前，婆婆是咋帶着一家人蓋西廂房的。而小滿從小跟夏菊花家做鄰居，更是眼看着老院從無到有，再到設施齊全。
四個人心裏都是五味雜陳。
好一會兒，劉志全才說：“就算不蓋新房子，娘這錢你也收着。我們一年到頭回不來幾回，想給你買也不知道買啥合适，你自己該買啥買啥。”
難得老大一口氣說出這麽長一段話，夏菊花雖然仍推辭着，臉上的笑還是多了起來——日子還要繼續下去，自己一味的消沉，并不能阻擋戰争的腳步。
那就盡自己所能，繼續給前線的人出力吧。
夏菊花是這麽想的，也是這麽做的。年前她已經跟大隊幹部開會研究過，平安莊當兵的孩子們走後，各家都等于少了一個壯勞力，收入相對的會減少。
為了讓孩子們安心在部隊訓練，每一戶軍屬都可以挑一個人進廠上班。如果家裏原來就已經有在廠裏上班的，再增加一個人也不是不可以。
消息一出，軍屬們自然大受感動——一般來說，能送孩子當兵、孩子還被部隊留下的家庭，家風都錯不了。這些軍屬沒有一家覺得大隊給自家的好處是應該應份的，而是自覺的不想占集體太多便宜，免得給戰士丢臉。
當然，劉四壯兩口子是不是也如此想，夏菊花不得而知，因為那兩到現在也不敢到她面前晃。
Several families of military dependents who have someone working in the factory said that although there is no strong labor in the family, the work points of the production team have increased a lot. The brigade can deduct half of the food work points as the mother of the main soldier. There are still people working in the factory in the family, and they can see cash every month, so there is no need to arrange for others to work in the factory. If the factory really needs people, it should give the opportunity to members with more difficult families.
Military families who have no one in the family feel that the employees in the factory are all carefully selected, and if their family members are not selected, they do not meet the requirements. Now I have to take care of my children because they are in the army. I am afraid that there will be a psychological burden on my children when they hear that they are in the army. They all said that they are afraid that their family members are not suitable for factory work, so they will not go there.
In the end, only three of the twenty-one soldiers' families agreed to let them work in the factory!