Xia Juhua's voice was not loud and she sounded a little trembling, obviously because she had never spoken in front of so many people. As the production team leader, she had to beg the members to give her face. People felt more sympathetic towards Xia Juhua, saying that she would not be late. Some even came forward to persuade Xia Juhua not to worry before leaving. In the end, only the three brothers Liu Erzhuang and Liu Zhiquan stayed.
Liu Erzhuang never thought that he would not be the production team leader, but his sister-in-law would be forced to be the production team leader. He still didn't understand how it turned out. He scratched his head and said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. If anyone dares to disobey you, I will bring Zhiquan and a few other brothers to help you deal with them."
In the countryside, when things don't make sense, the one with more brothers and stronger fists can really gain the upper hand by brute force. Xia Juhua heard Liu Erzhuang's promise and nodded gratefully: "I used to just listen to orders and work, and I really don't know what the production team leader does. It would be great if you are willing to teach me."
Liu Zhiquan still hasn't recovered from the shock of his mother suddenly becoming the production team leader. He asked, "Mom, do you really want to be the production team leader?"
Xia Juhua now realizes more and more that the reason she ended up like that in her previous life was largely due to her two sons' inaction, so she was not polite to him: "Everyone shouted at me at that time. If I don't take this job, I will be going against everyone in Ping'an Village. It's disrespectful. Will everyone still be able to associate with our family in the future?"
That's true, but can you do it? Liu Zhiquan looked at his mother who was becoming more and more powerful, and kept silent. Xia Juhua didn't let him go, and asked: "How many people are there in total to build the canal together? What is the total workload of our production team? How much have you dug? How much is left?"
Chen Qiu Sheng's eyes lit up, thinking that Xia Juhua's questions had hit the nail on the head: Li Changshun's requirement to Xia Juhua at the members' meeting was to ensure that the canal construction was completed well. There was no point in repairing the canal without understanding the progress.
Liu Erzhuang opened his mouth to answer for Liu Zhiquan, but Xia Juhua stopped him: "Erzhuang, don't worry about him, just let him talk. There are so many things going on in the production team. If he doesn't keep an eye on me, how can I handle it all by myself?"
Liu Zhiquan felt proud of himself for being his mother's eyes, and decided that he could not just work hard in the future, but also take care of the production team for his mother. After all, his mother was already old, and other women of her age usually only worked in the first half of the year, but his mother had to worry about the production of a production team.
Liu Zhishuang also raised his head. Xia Juhua was looking at him and said the same thing: "Don't think that your brother is enough. You have to help mom keep an eye on her, too."
Liu Erzhuang and Chen Qiu Sheng looked at each other in surprise: You just became the production team leader, and you let your son keep an eye on the production team in front of us, is that really a good idea?
Xia Juhua didn't care whether it was good or not. After listening to Liu Zhiquan's grumbling and Liu Zhishuang's supplement, she had an idea of the progress of the canal repair, so she sent them back home: "Fix the chicken coop and clean the toilet. When you're done, turn over the vegetable patch in the backyard."
After the two men left, Xia Juhua glanced at Liu Erzhuang and Chen Qiu Sheng, who had complicated expressions, lowered her head, and stopped talking.
Hearing the tone of her words when she spoke to her son just now, Chen Qiu Sheng could imagine that if the members knew that Xia Xiao made her son plow the soil in the middle of winter, they would definitely regret choosing her as the production team leader.
Liu Erzhuang wondered if he had been too relaxed with his two sons. Now that the family had separated, he had to make them as diligent as Zhiquan and his wife. Not only did his sons have to be diligent, but he also had to work harder. Maybe Zhiquan and his wife learned to be diligent because of his sister-in-law's ability.
If Zhiquan and the other two were as diligent as my sister-in-law, and if everyone in the production team was as diligent as my sister-in-law, then Ping'an Village would get a year's work points... Liu Erzhuang got so excited at the thought that he slapped his thigh hard, destroying the silence in the room.
Xia Juhua and Chen Qiu Sheng looked at Liu Erzhuang together.
Liu Erzhuang felt embarrassed to be stared at, so he came up with an excuse: "Sister-in-law, I just remembered that although the production team is not sure, we two still have to hand over. Qiu Sheng is here, so he can be a witness for us. What do you think?"
Xia Juhua had been waiting but hadn't gone home, because she didn't know how to bring up the matter with Liu Erzhuang - no matter whether Liu Erzhuang had quit on his own initiative or the brigade had forbidden him to be the production team leader, when the time came to let go, she would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed.
It's just like when you told your sons in your previous life that you agreed to let them build a house and move to a new home, but when the day came for them to actually move, you felt a bad feeling in your heart.
It was the best thing that Liu Erzhuang brought it up himself. Chen Qiu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and took out the production team's run-of-the-mill account and started reading it out to the two of them one by one.
The production team was really poor. The village of 94 households had only 340.85 yuan in surplus. There were no mechanical equipment. Seven cows and several iron plows were the most important production tools. In addition, there were seven pigs. Five of them had to be delivered to the county before the New Year. The remaining two could be slaughtered and distributed to each household.
"That's all?" Xia Juhua looked at the tattered account book in disbelief. "Is this all the money the production team has?"
Liu Erzhuang said with some pride: "It's not a small amount, sister-in-law. It's just that there is a little left in the past two years. After paying the levy on the accounts in the past few years, there was nothing left." Chen Qiu Sheng nodded to testify for him, and Xia Juhua remained silent.
She remembered that she had more money in her last life before she took the medicine. Never mind, let's not talk about the last life. Although this life is a little poor, it's better than the last life.
Of course, it would be better to have money and be comfortable. So Xia Juhua asked: "Can we do something to make money?"
Liu Erzhuang was shocked: "Sister-in-law, don't make a fuss. The production team is different from your family. It's not that the family members just need to be strict. No one can tell the temperament of four or five hundred people. If one lets something slip..."
I was telling the truth, and I was genuinely worried about Xia Juhua, but Xia Juhua was more worried that this little money would not be enough to cope with natural disasters next year: "This little money is not enough to buy fertilizers in the spring."
The seeds were picked and saved by the production team during the autumn harvest, so they didn’t have to spend any money. The fertilizer production team couldn’t produce it themselves, so they had to buy it from the supply and marketing cooperatives.
After hearing what Xia Juhua said, Liu Erzhuang and Chen Qiu Sheng laughed: "Sister-in-law, no production team buys fertilizers with cash. They all pay the supply and marketing cooperatives back after selling the public grain after the autumn harvest." Otherwise, how could the director of the supply and marketing cooperative be so powerful that he said that fertilizers would be given priority to that production team, and the other production teams didn't even dare to say a word.
You didn't even give them money, so why shouldn't they give you something they like?
Liu Erzhuang was even somewhat glad that Xia Juhua was the next production team leader: "Sister-in-law, you have a lot of dealings with the supply and marketing cooperatives. We can count on fertilizers for our production team next year."
Thinking of the supply and marketing cooperative, Xia Juhua's heart moved. She continued to listen to Liu Erzhuang telling her how to deal with the brigade, the commune, the supply and marketing cooperative and even the grain station. It was time for dinner and the three of them left the production team.
On the way back, more people greeted Xia Juhua than usual. No matter they were familiar with her or not, they all said, "Captain Xia, don't worry. I will definitely work hard with you."
Regardless of whether what she said was sincere or not, Xia Juhua felt that it was much better than having her spine pointed at in her previous life. She put on a smile and nodded as she went into the house.
When Wang Caifeng saw her come in, she grinned happily, "Mom, you really make us women proud."
Liu Zhiquan shouted at her from behind in annoyance: "Go away and make trouble."
Xia Juhua's brows knitted together. Well, it turned out that what she said in the production team just now was in vain. After returning home for a while, she was using it again: "Boss, do you not want your wife to get along well with me, or do you have any objections to me being the production team leader?"
"Mom!" Liu Zhiquan's voice was still filled with impatience: "These are two different things. I'm just worried that you won't be able to hold the position for a few days, and the team will choose someone else and won't let you do it. It's a bit embarrassing."
Liu Zhiquan didn't say this alone, but the two brothers came up with it together when they went back to the vegetable garden in the backyard.
Xia Juhua had heard too many words from her two sons in her previous life, and she immediately realized that they were unwilling to let her be the production team leader. Xia Juhua ignored Liu Zhiquan and asked Liu Zhishuang who was following behind: "Second brother, do you think the same as your brother?"
Liu Zhishuang lowered his head and said nothing. As soon as his brother opened his mouth, he knew that what he said was too direct - this might work for a woman who had no ideas, but was his mother that kind of woman without ideas? If that was the case, she would not have taken them two brothers away from the old Liu family.
Regardless of whether they said anything or not, Xia Juhua already knew the attitudes of her two sons and actually smiled: "Okay, I won't embarrass you. Let's split up."
What? Liu Zhiquan didn't expect that his complaint would lead his mother to propose a separation. He immediately forgot that he had just wanted to blame Xia Juhua and turned around in confusion: "Mom, that's not what I meant. I'm not afraid that those people won't listen to you. You're working hard but still not getting any thanks. Don't you know how those old ladies in the village are..."
"Your mother is just an old woman!" Xia Juhua interrupted Liu Zhiquan's words: "In front of your second uncle, did I tell you why I should accept the position of captain? Why didn't you say at that time that you were worried that I would embarrass myself? Oh, now I just got home and you blocked me from entering the house without even letting me breathe. Am I ashamed? I told you that if anyone blocked the door, I would be the one to block you from entering."
After saying this, he went straight into the main room without washing his hands in anger, and slammed the door shut, leaving his son and daughter-in-law standing in the yard, not knowing what to do.
“娘說分家？”王彩鳳覺得天都快蹋下來了：“娘咋能張口就說分家呢。”
劉志全也沒想到娘反應會這麽大，聽到媳婦的話更加煩燥：“我咋知道，娘這些天已經提過幾次分家了。”
話一出口，三個人心裏同時起了一個念頭：娘說分家，不是在吓唬他們，而是真這麽想的，否則不會幾次三番提出來，還一次态度比一次強硬。
可現在不想分家的是他們！劉志全不說了，媳婦挺着個肚子，劉保國還脫不了手，一分家至少三四年得他一個人掙工分養活四口人。劉志雙更是，他手裏除了五十斤麥子，連一分錢都沒有。
還沒有媳婦，分了家馬上吃飯就成問題。
劉志全大步邁到正房門前，拍着門虛着氣喊：“娘，娘你開開門，剛才是我着急說錯話了，不是嫌你丢人，更不是不想讓你進門。”
王彩鳳也走過來跟着賠小話：“娘，志全他不敢埋怨你，就是不會說話，你自己的兒子你還不知道他咋回事兒。”有氣都撒你兒子頭上吧，現在分家不是要了我的命嗎。
劉志雙就一句話：“娘，我不分家，誰分我也不分。”分家我馬上得餓死。
正房裏一點兒動靜都沒有，仿佛屋裏沒有人一樣安靜。
夏菊花不是沒聽見幾個人說的話，而是懶得理他們。今天要不把幾個人給治服了，以後抱怨的話還不知道聽多少。加上一天下來這事連着那事，夏菊花也是個人，能撐到現在已經到極限了。
還有心思跟他們細枝掰葉的說道理？她一個農村老太太，講不出道理來！事兒已經應下了，不願意讓老娘幹，離老娘遠遠的。。
這一晚夏菊花沒出來吃飯，甚至打破多年習慣連洗漱都省了，讓兄弟兩個更加不安，一回一回跑到正房門前敲門，都沒敲開。見正房一直不點燈，王彩鳳還讓劉保國也敲過兩回門，結果沒好使。
他們幾個是什麽時候睡下的，睡的好不好，夏菊花一點兒也不知道。她不知道自己是在第幾次敲門聲中睡着的，卻是在黑暗之中醒來的。
離天亮還有一會兒，夏菊花再一次認真想分家的可能性，得出的結論仍然是現在不是時候：別的不說，住處就成問題。如果分家還住在一個院子裏，低頭不見擡頭見，她不敢保證自己真在兒子需要的時候袖手旁觀——當娘的，啥時候對兒子也狠不下那個心。可能只的孫氏那樣的奇葩例外吧，夏菊花嘆了口氣，仍做不到孫氏那樣狠心。
分家分不成，那就想想生産隊的事兒吧。夏菊花的性格就是這樣，凡是自己答應下來的事兒，總想做到最好。她應下當生産隊長，是為了早些提醒大家備荒，怎麽提醒又是個問題。
想到天麻麻亮了還沒想出頭緒，夏菊花躺的骨頭疼，翻身下地出門。一開門，劉志雙正蹲在門口，眼巴巴的看着房門呢。
一見夏菊花出門，他騰地站了起來，可把完全沒準備的夏菊花吓了一跳。可能蹲的時間太長，劉志全腿麻的不聽使喚，邁一步就停到了原地，擠出一個難看的笑叫娘。
那張臉是真沒法看。夏菊花沒好氣的問：“大早晨你蹲這兒想吓唬誰呢？”
劉志全這個委屈呀，他是怕娘一心真想分家，才想出這麽個笨辦法堵着，希望娘能第一時間聽到他的道歉。誰知道娘竟覺得是在吓唬她，跟他說話的口氣說不出的嫌棄。
“娘我哪敢吓唬你。”劉志全一邊活動着自己的腿腳，一邊又虛着氣說：“娘，我昨天真不是埋怨你，就是有點兒擔心你。你別生我氣了，咱們真不能分家。”
夏菊花淡淡瞥他一眼：“咋就不能分，我看這家早分早好，省得跟老院你奶奶似的，弄得個個兒子都跟仇人似的。”
一直聽着動靜的劉志雙也披着衣裳出來了，正好聽到夏菊花的後半句話，一邊伸袖子一邊說：“娘你跟我奶能一樣？我奶那是偏心到沒邊，你可從來都是一碗水端平。”
夏菊花心裏呵呵一聲，老娘上輩子最希望聽到的就是你們能說我一碗水端平，最後卻人人說自己偏心另一個。現在跟我說一碗水端平？
她真的冷笑出聲了：“別給我戴高帽子，我這碗水以後只端自己的，平不平用不着你們管。”說完轉身向後院去了。
廁所就在後院，夏菊花上後院的目的很明顯，劉志全和劉志雙自然不能追上去求原諒，只好等在正房門口。一等就等到王彩鳳打着呵欠從屋裏出來，見他們兩個直直杵在那兒也吓了一跳。
一問說是在等娘，王彩鳳都覺得服氣：“娘去那麽長時間沒回來，你們咋不叫我一聲讓我去看看，萬一娘出點兒啥事兒不是耽誤了嗎。”村裏不是沒有老人上廁所上沒的。
當然娘還算不上老，可凡事都有萬一不是。
王彩鳳擔着心，挺着大肚子急三火四的往後院走，正與檢查完兩兄弟昨天勞動成果的夏菊花碰了個正着。夏菊花有些納悶的問：“你走這麽急幹啥，碰着了咋整。”
“嘿嘿，我不是聽志全說娘老半天沒回前院，擔心娘嗎。”王彩鳳見着婆婆放下心來，臉上的笑與劉志全一個模子扣出來樣讨好：“娘，你不生志全的氣了吧？”
“我生啥氣。兒大不由娘，他都有兒子的人了，有自己的主意看不上我這個當娘的，不是常有的事兒嘛。”夏菊花聲音可平靜了。
“志全他不敢。”王彩鳳拍着胸脯給男人做保證：“他要是敢這麽想，我頭一個不跟他過了。娘，你就看保國的面上饒他這回，下回他再敢不聽娘的話，我跟娘一起和他分家。”
這還是自己上輩子不愛說話的兒媳婦嗎？夏菊花認真看了王彩鳳一眼，看的王彩鳳就差舉手向天發誓言了，夏菊花才說：“你跟着着急上火的什麽用，我都不上火。”
不上火連晚飯都不吃，躲着兒子不見面？王彩鳳心裏嘀咕，臉上的笑一絲沒落：“我哪兒有娘心寬，要不我咋寧可跟志全分家也跟着娘過呢。”
話酸的夏菊花直倒牙，快步就回了前院。王彩鳳挺着肚子跟着，嘴不停的替劉志全保證着。夏菊花當聽不見，對劉志全兄弟兩個更是視而不見，倒是在飯桌上給劉保國一個笑臉，算是讓三個人看到了希望。
這是夏菊花當生産隊長的頭一天，吃完飯把碗一推，她起身就往外走。王彩鳳不管把粥喝了一臉的劉保國，跟着起來送到院門口，小心的問：“娘，中午你想吃點兒啥？”
夏菊花還是沒吭氣，王彩鳳看着婆婆遠去的背影，回來沖兄弟兩個苦笑一下：“娘這回是真生氣了。”
劉志雙飛快的把粥扒拉幹淨，起身追了出去，快到生産隊門口了才追上夏菊花，發現他娘一直不停的打量不遠處的場院。
“娘，你看啥呢？”劉志雙跟劉志全最大的不同，是他不會一直跟夏菊花認錯，而是要用實際行動告訴他娘，他知道錯了。
這不，問到正事兒，從起來就沒正眼看過兒子的夏菊花，也開口了：“場院連個背風的地方都沒有，編席太糟罪了。”現在生産隊就指望着編席掙點兒現錢呢。
“供銷社訂的新席不是編的差不多了嗎？”劉志雙也有犯愁的看着高高的葦垛。割葦子不是輕松活，秋天的時候好不容易割下來的，婦女們現在還沒用上一半，要是以後都不編了，是有些可惜。
他們娘倆對着葦垛入神，上工的人陸陸續續來了之後，都站到他們身後，跟着一起看葦垛。直到陳秋生一聲哨響，夏菊花轉身才發現，編席的婦女們竟都站在自己身後，有些好笑的問李常旺家的：“今兒咋沒招呼我呢？”
李常旺家的眼睛同樣沒離開葦垛：“隊長，你說等供銷社的訂單完成了，咱們的席還編不編？”
夏菊花肯定的點了點頭：“編，為啥不編。”新花樣的席不收了，舊樣式的席也是錢。
等到派活的時候，李常旺家的才知道夏菊花說的為啥那麽肯定：男人們該修渠的先跟夏菊花去地裏，不修渠的往地裏運農家肥。
婦女們不管會不會編席，都跟着編席的人一起先編葦簾子——葦簾子就是把粗細相等的葦杆綁在一起，除了紮緊外沒啥技術含量，同樣的編葦簾子工分低，一天只記四個工。
“誰要是這回不編葦簾子，下次也別跟我說想學編席。”夏菊花一句話，就讓嫌天冷工分低要回家貓着的幾個婦女停在原地了。
見話有效果，夏菊花接着往下分活。剩下的都是一些零碎的活計，比如喂牛打掃牛棚喂豬之類的，原來負責的人接着幹就行。
After hearing Xia Juhua's arrangement, the members actually breathed a sigh of relief: it was a good thing that the new production team leader was not completely in the dark, and it was even better that he did not reject all the arrangements made by the original production team leader. So everyone was neat and tidy, walking quickly, and looked much more energetic than usual.